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| The abortion debate: the statistics | The abortion debate: the statistics |
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| So now we know the secretaries of state for women and equalities, health and even the home secretary are in favour of reducing the abortion limit below its current 24 weeks. Maria Miller and Theresa May have backed a reduction of four weeks, while Jeremy Hunt is using his position at the head of the health service to suggest the limit should be halved. Why? | So now we know the secretaries of state for women and equalities, health and even the home secretary are in favour of reducing the abortion limit below its current 24 weeks. Maria Miller and Theresa May have backed a reduction of four weeks, while Jeremy Hunt is using his position at the head of the health service to suggest the limit should be halved. Why? |
| Although only a few MPs have publicly suggested scrapping legal abortions altogether, constant harking to a subject that affected fewer than 3,000 women last year having abortions after 20 weeks has led to fears among women's groups that the Tories are set to ape the US right with an attack on women's reproductive rights. | Although only a few MPs have publicly suggested scrapping legal abortions altogether, constant harking to a subject that affected fewer than 3,000 women last year having abortions after 20 weeks has led to fears among women's groups that the Tories are set to ape the US right with an attack on women's reproductive rights. |
| Those who argue for reducing the limit further - Nadine Dorries MP among others - cite evidence that more than half of foetuses born at 24 weeks survive and that this fact should take precedence over the right of the mother to determine her own future. Yet the scientific community does not support a reduction in the time limit implemented in 1990. Much of the scientific evidence is available from parliament's own review in 2006 here. | Those who argue for reducing the limit further - Nadine Dorries MP among others - cite evidence that more than half of foetuses born at 24 weeks survive and that this fact should take precedence over the right of the mother to determine her own future. Yet the scientific community does not support a reduction in the time limit implemented in 1990. Much of the scientific evidence is available from parliament's own review in 2006 here. |
| At the same time as Dorries introduced a bill to cut the abortion limit to 21 weeks in 2006, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee was moved to publish a report on scientific developments since the limit was reduced from 24 weeks in 1990. | At the same time as Dorries introduced a bill to cut the abortion limit to 21 weeks in 2006, the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee was moved to publish a report on scientific developments since the limit was reduced from 24 weeks in 1990. |
| The report found that 89% of abortions are carried out before 13 weeks of gestation while just 2% took place at 20 weeks or over. A far higher proportion of these were due to foetal abnormalities, many of which can only be picked up at the 20-week abnormality scan. | The report found that 89% of abortions are carried out before 13 weeks of gestation while just 2% took place at 20 weeks or over. A far higher proportion of these were due to foetal abnormalities, many of which can only be picked up at the 20-week abnormality scan. |
| None of this explains the latest concerted attack, which pre-dates even the latest reshuffle which put those opposed to current limits into extraordinary positions of power. | None of this explains the latest concerted attack, which pre-dates even the latest reshuffle which put those opposed to current limits into extraordinary positions of power. |
| Although abortion is largely seen as a personal rather than party political issue - all votes on the issue have been free to date - it seems fair to say that the current crop of Tory MPs have form on this matter. (This wasn't always so. Even Margaret Thatcher backed David Steel's bill which legalised abortions in 1967). Earlier this year Andrew Lansley ordered a review of abortions clinics, at a cost of £1m, after a report in the Telegraph found that 1 in 5 "broke the law" by offering "pre-signed consent". Following inspections, just 14 out of 249 clinics were found to offer such consent. | Although abortion is largely seen as a personal rather than party political issue - all votes on the issue have been free to date - it seems fair to say that the current crop of Tory MPs have form on this matter. (This wasn't always so. Even Margaret Thatcher backed David Steel's bill which legalised abortions in 1967). Earlier this year Andrew Lansley ordered a review of abortions clinics, at a cost of £1m, after a report in the Telegraph found that 1 in 5 "broke the law" by offering "pre-signed consent". Following inspections, just 14 out of 249 clinics were found to offer such consent. |
| There were two more attempts by a Conservative MP, this time Angela Watkinson, to change the law on abortion in 2007. One aimed to force doctors offering abortion or contraception advice to under-16s to inform the child's parents while the other attempted to introduce compulsory counselling and a week-long "cooling off" period before women are granted an abortion. Both were defeated in parliament, which didn't stop Dorries teaming up with Frank Field MP to introduce a bill that attempted to strip abortion providers of their role in counselling women. This too was heavily defeated in the House of Commons last year. It remains to be seen who else will join the bandwagon at the party conference this week but it seems fair to suspect there will be another attempt to reduced the abortion law before 2015. | There were two more attempts by a Conservative MP, this time Angela Watkinson, to change the law on abortion in 2007. One aimed to force doctors offering abortion or contraception advice to under-16s to inform the child's parents while the other attempted to introduce compulsory counselling and a week-long "cooling off" period before women are granted an abortion. Both were defeated in parliament, which didn't stop Dorries teaming up with Frank Field MP to introduce a bill that attempted to strip abortion providers of their role in counselling women. This too was heavily defeated in the House of Commons last year. It remains to be seen who else will join the bandwagon at the party conference this week but it seems fair to suspect there will be another attempt to reduced the abortion law before 2015. |
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