An overwhelming majority of the Scottish public have expressed concerns about the Government’s “barbaric” DIY home abortion programme.

The concerns expressed by Scots were revealed in a Savanta ComRes poll, commissioned by SPUC, as the Scottish Government’s consultation on DIY home abortion comes to an end.

Emergency measures were brought in due to COVID-19 permitting women in the first ten weeks of pregnancy to take two abortion pills sent through the post after a phone or video consultation with a doctor or nurse.

But the move has been roundly condemned in the Savanta ComRes poll of 1042 Scots carried out during December on behalf of SPUC.

John Deighan, SPUC Scotland Chief Executive said: “The poll proves that the public agree with us, sending a strong warning to our politicians to get their house in order and end this discredited and barbaric policy.”

The poll reveals massive concerns about the scheme expressed by the vast majority with worries that women may be coerced into having unwanted abortions due to remote consultations.

The findings

 The main findings include:

• Two-thirds of Scottish adults (68%) are concerned about women having a medical abortion at home after a phone or video consultation with a doctor. 
• Eight in ten Scottish adults (83%) are concerned about women finding it distressing, potentially having to dispose of the terminated pregnancy either into the toilet or sanitary pads. 
• Eight in ten Scottish adults (79%) are concerned about the possibility of abortion pills being falsely obtained for another person with a telemedicine abortion appointment where the doctor has not seen the woman in person. 
• More than eight in ten Scottish adults (84%) say they are concerned about women being at risk of being coerced into an abortion by a partner or family member with a telemedicine abortion appointment where the doctor has not seen the woman in person.
• More than eight in ten Scottish adults (86%) say they are concerned about women being at risk of unwanted abortion arising from domestic abuse by partners controlling or monitoring their actions with a telemedicine abortion appointment where the doctor has not seen the woman in person. 

“Imposing an unwanted abortion policy on an unwilling nation”

Mr Deighan said: “This is a searing indictment of the Scottish Government imposing an unwanted abortion policy on an unwilling nation. The Scottish population clearly shows more concern for the health of women and their unborn babies than their shameful elected representatives.

“The home abortion provision is a travesty that should never have been introduced. Allowing women to take powerful drugs at home, alone, with no medical supervision and have them dispose of foetal remains on their own shows a complete lack of care and respect for women, as well as further devaluing the value of human life in the womb.”

Alarming abuse

A recent investigation in England uncovered alarming abuse of the DIY at home abortion system there. The probe revealed that abortion providers had sent abortion drugs to women who had given false personal information (for example, name, address or claimed gestation).

When told of the English investigation into the false claimants the vast majority of Scottish adults agreed with each of the following statements:

• It is concerning that callers giving false information can easily obtain abortion drugs (91%).
• Staff at abortion providers need to ensure that they are collecting correct medical and personal information to certify a woman for a home abortion (92%).
• It is important that checks are put in place to ensure women being certified for abortion meet the legal criteria (93%).

  In addition, eight in ten Scottish adults (82%) say they are concerned about women having a medical abortion past the legal limit of ten weeks into gestation. 

Mr Deighan added: “It is quite clear from the poll that the political elite in their metropolitan Edinburgh bubble are out of step with the ordinary men and women voters of this country.

“We have warned from the outset of DIY abortions that the scheme would prove impossible to regulate. This has been confirmed in recent months, in England, where babies who have died after their mothers took the pills when months past the legal and medical limit and abortion providers have been found to be sending out pills-in-the-post without even basic checks.

“What is happening is nothing more than state-sponsored backstreet abortions.”