BPAS are using any pretext to push for all legal protections to be removed from unborn babies.
Is the threat of prosecution really why doctors don't want perform late term abortions?
BPAS have released a new report claiming that dozens of women are being denied abortions before 24 weeks, despite the pregnancy threatening their health.
Not medical centres
The abortion chain says that they were unable to secure suitable NHS hospital treatment for women with various medical conditions by the "strict legal cut-off point of 24 weeks" in 46 cases. BPAS admitted that standalone abortion centres such as those run by BPAS are unable to care for such women, in case their condition deteriorates. In most of the case studies they referenced, the women had only asked for abortion at around 22 weeks gestation, just short of the time limit for social abortions. However, the Abortion Act allows for abortions after 24 weeks where the life or health of the mother is at risk, something not mentioned in the report.
Professor Lesley Regan, who as President signed the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists call for decriminalisation, said: "We welcome this important report from BPAS and are deeply saddened by the shocking number of women who are being denied access to abortion care even though their pregnancy threatens their health and potentially their lives."
Inconvenient consciences
However, Katherine O'Brien of BPAS made the interesting point that there are not many doctors willing to do late-term abortions. "There just aren’t enough doctors who are willing or able to provide abortion care," she said. "Because abortion is so stigmatised and because there is this risk of criminal sanctions that is unique to abortion care, it deters doctors from entering into abortion care or feeling willing and able to authorise the procedures."
True healthcare respects mother and baby
Dr Anthony McCarthy commented: "Good doctors care about both mother and child and may need to intervene urgently to deliver the baby early, when he or she has just become viable. Health conditions like cancer can be treated despite the pregnancy, targeting the woman's own body, not that of her child. In contrast, BPAS show zero concern for the baby, and appear to be complaining about a delay in abortion which doubtless resulted in some babies being born alive and with some chance of survival. It is telling that so many doctors are unwilling to provide so-called late term abortion "care": a strange term for the grisly procedures involved in deliberately ending the life of a late-term baby - instead of humanely delivering the child post-viability, and carefully managing the woman's condition before that point."
BPAS used the report to continue their agenda to remove legal protection from unborn babies, saying: "Abortion up to 24 weeks must be decriminalised to ensure best service delivery framework." However, their CEO Ann Furedi has gone even further than this in the past, calling for abortion up to birth, and for any reason, including on the grounds of gender, and as a form of birth control.
Petition: Tell the prime minister no to decriminalising abortion
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