Pressure is now mounting on the government to reverse the reckless ‘pills by post’ home abortion policy, after a woman who was four weeks past the legal abortion limit used the ‘service’ to kill her 28 - week unborn baby. SPUC have described the situation as ‘horrific’ and the government have now been placed under scrutiny from MPs and members of the public.
Police are investigating after an unborn baby died when its mother took abortion drugs at home while 28 weeks pregnant. The drugs were mailed under a new lax “home abortion” scheme set up in response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
28 weeks gestation is over 6 months pregnant. It is four weeks past the legal limit, and 18 weeks later than the recommended gestation of 10 weeks for a “medical” abortion.
Pro-abortion advocates have appeared to disregard any possibility of the system being misused.
The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), which runs the pills by post service, has confirmed it is investigating the case, plus eight more where women took the pills beyond the ten-week limit.
Political pressure
The controversial pills by post abortion service was widely criticised upon its introduction, as health officials failed to ensure that the system would not be misused or pose a threat to the health and wellbeing of women.
Earlier this week, Helen Whately, Minister of State at the Department of Health and Social Care, was required to address an influx of questions from politicians voicing concerns regarding the safety of the pills by post abortion service.
Concerns from MPs included seeking assurance that the pills by post service would not become a permanent measure and confirmation as to how medical professionals can truly establish the gestational age of the unborn child to be killed via telephone.
Scott Benton MP inquired into “whether the March 2020 regulations permitting the use of both sets of abortion pills at home are in force temporarily.”
Baroness Stroud requested what assessment the government has made to ensure the “ability of a medical professional to establish the gestation period of a child accurately via a telephone consultation before prescribing the at-home administration of mifepristone and misoprostol for an abortion.”
Queries were also raised into how health complications occurring from the pills by post service were intended to be recorded as Sir Edward Leigh asked if “the NHS will be required to report on the number of women that are admitted to hospital for complications after being prescribed (a) Mifepristone and (b) Misoprostol by telephone, video conference or other electronic means.”
What you can do
SPUC has been mobilising members of the public and pro-life supporters to contact their MP to express their concern regarding the pills by post service.
Please contact your MP now. Ask him or her to contact the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, urgently, to demand that this dangerous policy be stopped immediately.
If you live in Scotland or Wales, please also contact your MSP/AM to demand that the devolved governments do the same.