A woman who underwent a late term abortion has launched a legal complaint, urging clinics to tell women the truth about abortion. Ana-Maria Tudor claims that the abortion provider did not inform her that her baby could suffer during the abortion.

Ms Tudor from Newcastle underwent an abortion at a BPAS abortion clinic in Richmond when she was 23 weeks pregnant.

She has now spoken out, claiming that the abortion provider did not have her fully informed consent to the procedure, as they failed to inform her of the facts surrounding abortion, notably that her baby could have felt pain during the procedure.

Ms Tudor said: “I did not find out that a baby at 23 weeks might be able to feel pain until afterwards. It made me feel awful and now I deeply regret my decision.”

Informed consent

Ms Tudor’s legal representatives, Sinclairslaw, are challenging the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines on abortion.

In its letter to NICE threatening judicial review, the lawyers argue the guidance is unlawful because clinicians are unable to facilitate and obtain informed consent without thoroughly explaining the procedure and its implications.

Sinclairslaw has said that NICE guidelines fail to recommend that women should be informed that their baby may suffer pain if aborted from 18 weeks or possibly earlier.

Foetal pain: The Facts

A new research paper, Reconsidering Foetal Pain, published in the Journal of Medical Ethics, indicates that unborn children may be able to feel painful sensations as early as 13 weeks.

The medical researchers, one of whom identifies as 'pro-choice', argue that to act as if we have certainty that the fetus does not ever feel anything akin to pain "flirts with moral recklessness."

Dr McCarthy, SPUC’s director of research and education, said: "Making death painless for the one killed does not…mean that taking life is thereby justified. Women who are rightly concerned not to cause pain to their baby even as early as 13 weeks, or even earlier, should be offered, not alternative ways of aborting the baby, but support to allow their child to live."

Why are abortion providers concealing information from women?

In 2019, as reported by SPUC, one woman’s agonizing testimony aired on BBC2 highlighted how the concealment of information regarding abortion is now commonplace in the United Kingdom.

Speaking on BBC2 Laura Mann, who underwent an abortion said: “Why are women not informed?” If I went in for an operation, I would get the full download. Why is it with abortion, it’s a secret? Why don’t you let us know what we are going for and what’s going to happen to our baby’s bodies?”

Laura’s testimony also made it clear that she is not alone in feeling this way.

She said: “I come across many women today that tell me the same thing, that they were dying in secret. Because I tell my story so openly, they speak up to me and say ‘I experienced the same thing as you and felt I couldn’t speak to anyone at the time. What can you do to help me?’ There are still women today experiencing the same thing.”

If you, or anyone you know has been affected by abortion please contact the Abortion Recovery Care and Helpline (ARCH) for free, non-judgemental, confidential support : 0345 603 8501