SPUC has welcomed a decision by the US Supreme Court to uphold restrictions on DIY chemical abortions which require women to collect abortion drugs from a hospital or doctor.

Michael Robinson, SPUC Director of Communications, said: “Policies allowing DIY at home chemical abortion are bad, but at least a stipulation that a woman must see a doctor in the flesh provides some safeguards for women, especially vulnerable women. We welcome this Supreme Court decision which protects women and we urge the UK government to reverse its dangerous DIY abortion policy.”

The Supreme Court voted 6-3 this week to uphold a regulation which requires women to collect abortion drugs from a medical facility.

This is the Supreme Court’s first decision regarding abortion since pro-life Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed and sworn in as a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Opponents of the decision have expressed concern that requiring a woman to collect abortion drugs poses a danger due to the spread of COVID-19.

However, SPUC has stressed how telemedicine abortion, which means that women can get chemical abortion drugs through the post to perform their own abortion at home, puts women and especially vulnerable women at risk.

“Endangering women across the country”

SPUC’s Michael Robinson said: “With the whole chemical abortion process being done remotely, the abortion provider has no way of knowing who is really on the other end of the phone; if she is being coerced into an abortion, or if the abuser is in the room with her.

“There is no way of knowing the gestation of a woman’s pregnancy over the phone, which is crucial as the drugs are only supposed to be used up to 10 weeks. There is no way of knowing if she is following the medical protocols when taking the drugs, or if she’ll be able to seek medical help if anything goes wrong.

“SPUC supports the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold this regulation and we urge the UK government to reverse its dangerous DIY home abortion policy which is endangering women across the country.”