Marie Stopes International is publishing the 2020 update of their annual “My Body, My Voice” report, while the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is holding a webinar on “Providing Safe Abortion and Post-abortion Care during the COVID-19 pandemic”.  

Alithea Williams, Campaigns Assistant at SPUC, said: “’Safe abortion’ is a contradiction in terms. No procedure that intentionally results in the death of at least one person can be described as ‘safe’. In addition, abortion providers have some nerve talking about safe abortion, when they are actively promoting the unsafe practise of DIY home abortions.

“It is particularly shocking that the RCOG, who are supposed to care for women and babies, are so brazenly promoting this abortion ideology.”

SPUC is highlighting the current extreme DIY abortion policy which poses even greater health risks for women as well as pushing up the number of unborn babies killed by the procedure. Temporary provisions allowing women to be sent both drugs used for a medical abortion in the post to self-administer at home were introduced at the beginning of the lockdown. SPUC was concerned from the outset that it would be impossible to ensure that abortions were carried out safely and in accordance with the law once women were not required to see a doctor in person. Since the provision was introduced:

·        Police have investigated the deaths of a [newborn baby and a baby at 28 weeks gestation after their mothers took abortion pills sent in the post way past the legal limit.

·        A mystery shopper exercise revealed that abortion providers are sending women abortion pills without proper checks.

·        An NHS email sent by a chief midwife revealed that 13 incidents were under investigation, with three police investigations underway, including a murder investigation into the death of baby that was aborted outside of the womb. The email also reported two maternal deaths, and abortion pills being delivered to a woman 22 weeks over the legal limit for at-home abortions (and 8 weeks over the legal limit for any kind of abortion).

“What abortion providers are currently promoting cannot in any way be described as ‘safe abortion’”, Miss Williams continued. “They are advocating women taking powerful drugs at home, alone, with no medical supervision, without even a scan to check that they are at the correct gestation. And even when everything happens as it’s supposed to, can we really describe the physical and mental ordeal that women go through as ‘safe’?”

Contact us

Alithea Williams can be contacted on:

·        alitheawilliams@spuc.org.uk

·        020 7820 3121