The number of women having abortions has risen for the first time in five years, with a dramatic increase in teenage [abortions] last year.

Figures released by the Office of National Statistics yesterday showed that abortions rose last year to 177,225 in England and Wales, an increase of 13,587, or 8.3 per cent, over 1995.

Life, the pro-life charity, said the figures were "deeply shocking" and the Family Planning Association said it was "very concerned" about the rise and about the disappearance of family planning clinics. Among 16- to 19-year-olds, the increase was almost double the average, at 15.2 per cent, giving a total of 28,746 abortions in this age group last year. There was a rise of 11.3 per cent in abortions undergone by girls under 16. They had 3,639 abortions last year. The third group to see a steep rise was older women aged 35 to 39. Here the increase was 12.1 per cent, amounting to 16,086 abortions in 1996.

The FPA and Life called for wide ranging reviews. The Health Department said the statisticians were looking into the figures to see if they provided an explanation. "Although the pill scare in 1995 is a contributing factor it cannot be entirely to blame," said Anne Weyman, chief executive of the FPA.

More than 1.5 million women on the pill were advised to consult their doctors by the Health Department in October 1995 because of fears that some brands could cause thrombosis.

Nuala Scarisbrick, trustee of Life, said the rise was dramatic, particularly in teenagers and women in their thirties. She said: "What the Government should be doing is rethinking the whole of current sex education theory and practice and supporting the Life Pregnancy Care Service, not pouring money into condom and abortion agencies. For a start we ought to ban the 'quickie-abortion' clinics being opened by Marie Stopes International."

An FPA spokesman said that the rise was very puzzling. If the 1995 pill scare was a significant cause then it would be likely that the figures would have shown sharp increases in abortions among women in their 20s, among whom the pill is most popular. In fact the rises were lower than the national average.