Women offered 'home' abortions

WOMEN are to be offered the choice of carrying out their own abortions at home, under controversial new plans put forward by an influential family planning charity.

Abortion rates in the UK are soaring Abortion rates in the UK are soaring

The proposals, to be unveiled at a special Parliamentary briefing this week, have been backed by the Government’s Science and Tech­nology Committee and would allow women to take medication to induce early miscarriage wherever they chose.

-- HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE ABORTION PILL --

Plans drawn up by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, will be put before lawyers, doctors and MPs at a conference opened by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo who is believed to support “pro-choice” views.

Medical abortions before 10 weeks  involve using two drugs  which under the current law can only be taken in hospital or licensed abortion clinic.

Under the new plans women would be given the option to take their second dose of drug – which induces an early miscarriage – without the presence of medical staff and at a place of their choice.

Anne Furedi, chief executive of the BPAS, said: “Abortion is a fact of life not a problem.

"Unplanned pregnancy can be a problem and it should be as easy as possible for women to have an abortion if they need it. We believe women should be given the choice to have early medical abortion at home.”

But the plan has been attacked by pro-life charities and religious groups.

Andrea Minichiello Williams, of Christian Concern for Our Nation, said: “The idea that a woman would go into her bathroom and abort alone is tragic. This should not happen in a civilised society.

“Women who request abortions should be helped, counselled and looked after, not sent home with a pill to make them abort.”

-- HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE ABORTION PILL --

However Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris, who sits on the Science and Technology Committee on abortion, said: “It is safe and acceptable to give women the choice of where they complete an abortion.”

The committee has said there is no reason why women could not take the second dose of drugs at home or why nurses should not be allowed to prescribe the medication.

The BPAS also wants women  allowed to have an abortion with the signature of just one doctor, rather than the two currently required by law.

Figures released last week showed Britain’s soaring termination rate is  now one of the highest in western Europe.

Last year there was a 2.5 per cent increase to a record 198,500 terminations.

There was a 21 per cent increase in abortions among 14-year-olds and a 10 per cent increase in terminations among girls under 16.

The BPAS put part of the blame on poor education and unreliable contraception.

It insisted that making abortion medication available earlier would help more women avoid surgery by making it easier to have an early termination.

-- READ OUR OPINION PIECE ON THE ABORTION PILL --

Comments Unavailable

Sorry, we are unable to accept comments about this article at the moment. However, you will find some great articles which you can comment on right now in our Comment section.

Would you like to receive news notifications from Daily Express?