Health chiefs voice fears over MP’s move to cut abortion limit
Fears have been raised that proposals to reduce theabortiondeadline by two weeks could inflict cruelty on vulnerable women and actually increase the number ofpregnancy terminations.
The warnings come after Tory MP Caroline Ansell proposed an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill to decrease the legal limit to have an abortion from the current deadline of 24 weeks to 22 weeks – with MPs set to vote on the proposals in due course.
But healthcare leaders and abortion providers told The Independent that Ms Ansell’s plans, which have gained the backing of a cross-party group of 26 MPs, were “incredibly cruel” and not grounded in clinical fact.
Dr Ranee Thakar, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ president, said they are against any reduction in abortion time limits.
She added: “Only one per cent of abortions happen after 20 weeks, but these are often undertaken because significant foetal anomalies are detected or because of serious maternal health issues.
“Late recognition of the pregnancy or unforeseen changes in a woman’s personal circumstances can also mean women access a later term abortion. Regardless of the reason, we firmly believe that no woman should be forced to continue a pregnancy against her will.”
Dr Thakar called for greater investment in local abortion services to ensure women are not forced to endure lengthy waiting times or embark on long trips to access terminations.
Her comments come asMPs are also set to voteon an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill next month that would see pregnancy terminations wholly decriminalised in England and Wales.
Jonathan Lord, medical director of MSI Reproductive Choices, the UK’s leading abortion provider, added: “When a couple get the awful news of a scan anomaly at 18-20 weeks, they are distraught and rightly want diagnostic tests.
