2008-11-26 14:17:12 - On 22nd October, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill reaches Report Stage, providing MPs with a unique opportunity to improve women's access to reproductive healthcare and reduce unnecessary waiting times, delays and costs for abortion services.

Chris McCafferty, MP, Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Population and Development, who has tabled some of the modernising amendments said: 'The amendments proposed by pro-choice MPs from all three main parties fully reflect government policies aiming to provide care ‘closer to home', greater patient choice and more responsive services. Importantly the changes would greatly benefit women needing

abortions.

'This is the first time in nearly 20 years MPs will have an opportunity to cast their vote on this important issue and to modernise a 40 year old piece of legislation to reflect women's needs.'

'The amendments are not radical,' said Anne Quesney, Head of Advocacy at Marie Stopes International (MSI), the UK's leading provider of abortion services.

'They aim to provide women with prompt access to a medical procedure they need.'

One of the amendments, New Clause 9, would give women who choose the abortion pill, or Early Medical Abortion (EMA), choice of completing the process in the comfort and privacy of their own home, with ongoing medical advice and support. Women routinely choose this option in the USA and in many European countries.

MSI recently conducted an acceptability study of clients who opted for EMA. It found that a staggering 91 per cent said they were confident taking the second pill at home and would welcome having a choice.

Anne Quesney added: 'Women deserve a modern abortion law that shows greater respect for their privacy and autonomy and enables equitable access to safe, legal abortion across the UK.

'Sensationalist headlines that pro-choice amendments will increase the number of abortions fail to take into account that the lowest abortion rates are enjoyed by countries with both more liberal abortion laws and also better access to Sex and Relationships Education, contraception and emergency contraception.'

Notes for the editor

All the pro-choice amendments in a nutshell

1. Remove the need for two doctors' signatures to authorise abortions
A formality which can lead to potential delays and is deemed unnecessary by a significant majority of doctors, including the British Medical Association (BMA) and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).

2. Allow suitably trained nurses and other health care practitioners to carry out abortions
Nurses are already involved in the care of women having abortions. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health Care welcome the move to extend and formalise the role of nurses.

3. Extend the locations where abortions can take place to primary care level
Abortion, especially early abortion, is a common and straightforward procedure - 90% are carried out at under 13 weeks gestation. Now that the methods have changed and been simplified, complications from abortion are so rare, and so rarely serious, that the whole process of providing a safe abortion service can be 'de-medicalised' appropriately. The Department of Health agrees that early medical abortion could be provided in non-hospital settings.

4. Allow women the choice to be at home to complete early medical abortion
Last year the Science and Technology Committee concluded that: 'subject to providers putting in place the appropriate follow-up arrangements, there is no evidence relating to safety, effectiveness or patient acceptability that should serve to deter Parliament passing regulations which would enable women who chose to do so taking the second stage of early medical abortion at home -'

5. Ensure that anti-abortion organisations have to be transparent about their position when offering 'counselling'
Safeguarding women, especially those who are most vulnerable, from ‘crisis pregnancy counselling' centres which are usually opposed to abortion and may provide misleading information - such as ‘abortions cause infertility'. These agencies are likely to confuse and delay women.

6. Making clear that the right to conscientiously object to providing services does not entitle practitioners to obstruct referral to other doctors
A recent Marie Stopes International study found that one in five GPs was opposed to abortion. This is a cause for concern as there is no guarantee that an anti-choice doctor will refer a patient to a colleague who will help. This practice also contravenes current professional guidelines.

7. Extend the 1967 Abortion Act to Northern Ireland - to end 40 years of discrimination against Northern Irish women, in violation of their rights as UK citizens under the Convention on Ending All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
For the past 40 years, women from Northern Ireland with unwanted pregnancies have been forced to travel to the mainland of Great Britain or another European country and pay themselves to obtain a safe, legal abortion - a health care service that is free and available on the NHS to all other female citizens of the United Kingdom. This is a discriminatory and degrading treatment that violates both civil and plitical rights.

For further information:
Tony Kerridge, MSI Senior Communications Officer (Press and Public Affairs)
Tel: 020 7034 2365. E-mail: tony.kerridge@mariestopes.org.uk