Published Friday, 22 May 2009
More than 1,000 women from Northern Ireland travelled to England for an abortion last year.
The total of 1,173 for 2008 is down on the figure of 1,343 for 2007.
The Department of Health report also showed 4,600 women travelled from the Republic of Ireland, down slightly on last year.
Abortion is illegal in Northern Ireland except when the woman's life is at risk.
All four of the main Northern Irish parties oppose legalising it.
Betty Gibson, chairwoman for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) in Northern Ireland, welcomed the fact that the number was down by 170 on the previous year.
But she warned that it is likely to increase if abortion providers are allowed to advertise on television and radio.
"Many women are never told about the physical and emotional damage which abortion can cause," she said.
"If the Advertising Standards Authority allows abortion providers to advertise on TV and radio, it will add to the pressure on vulnerable women. They will be sold abortion as a simple, safe and easy answer to their problems when it's not", she said.
However, the Family Planning Association (FPA), a sexual health charity, says official figures need to be treated with caution.
"Women don't give a Northern Ireland address for fear of being found out... or some people may get mixed up with the Republic of Ireland (in the statistics grading)," Director Audrey Simpson said.
"Women are also going to other cheaper countries, for example the Netherlands."
Audrey Simpson also warned more people were using potentially dubious internet sites to purchase abortion pills.
"Until our legislators face up to the fact that women in Northern Ireland want to have abortions we won't know the extent of this," she added.