Urgent checks of abortion clinics ordered by the health secretary last month cost �1m and meant hundreds of other inspections were cancelled.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the request at short notice from the Department of Health meant 580 pre-planned inspections were cancelled.
Time spent on planning and inspecting equated to 1,100 days, it said.
The department said the inspections had been agreed between the CQC and the health secretary.
It added that if the regulator had said more money was needed, it would have been provided.
The shadow health secretary, Andy Burnham, told the BBC he believed Mr Lansley had acted disproportionately and his actions gave the impression the health secretary was "chasing headlines" to put himself in a stronger position following criticism over his controversial changes to the NHS.
Details of the impact of the inspections were released after a Freedom of Information Act request from the BBC.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley requested the CQC checks after concerns were raised about consent forms being pre-signed.
<<Print>>