London, Jun 22 (IANS): Abortions reached another all-time high last year in England and Wales as official data has revealed that nearly 2,15,000 terminations were carried out during 2021, up 2 per cent from the year before, media reports say.

According to the report from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, more than half were carried out at home, reports the Daily Mail.

The report also highlighted the popularity of the 'pills by post' service, which was set up at the start of the pandemic so that women who were unable to see doctors in person could still access early medical abortions.

Ministers wanted to axe the scheme this summer but their plans were defeated, the report said.

Clare Murphy, head of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), suggested the policy may have had a role in last year's record abortion numbers.

"The pandemic, and the policies adopted by the Government in response, have had a clear impact on women's pregnancy choices," she said.