Eighty women a year undertake expensive IVF, and then terminate the pregnancies, just because they have doubts about being a mother.

Yesterday, the startling data ignited anger that some women were cruelly treating test-tube babies like "designer goods".

Rationales offered for abortions, some sponsored by the NHS for around £5,000, were dreaded to comprise a simple change of mind.

Others were separated from their spouses, or were weighed down by families to begin a family too early.

About half the abortions entailed women in the healthiest age bracket of 18 to 34, indicating that "social", instead of medical factors, played a larger role.

The cost of the abortions was also funded by the taxpayer. Appalled fertility specialists insisted on an inquiry.

Prof. Ledger, a Member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority that supervises IVF treatment, emphasized, "I had no idea there were so many post-IVF abortions - and each one is a tragedy. These women can't be surprised to be pregnant - you can't have an IVF pregnancy by accident".

Ex-Tory Minister, Ann Widdecombe said that if the decree was executed rightly, people would be unable to get an abortion simply because they changed their minds.

One IVF mother aborted her twins after finding out that her husband was not loyal to her.

Other women are believed to undergo IVF not for a baby, but just to show they can have one.