BBC condemned for 'completely outdated' abortion position by women’s healthcare organisations

'We were absolutely shocked by corporation's stance,' says spokesperson for UK’s largest provider

Women’s healthcare organisations have voiced outrage over the BBC's “completely outdated” position on abortion after the broadcaster failed to provide information on its website because the issue was deemed too "contentious".

The furore surfaced after last week’s episode of period drama Call the Midwife in which one of the characters died as a result of complications from an illegal “backstreet” abortion.

At the end of the programme, the BBC told viewers to go to the BBC Action Line website if they needed information or support related to issues featured in the series.

Women who visited the website noticed there was no advice relating to abortion and got in touch with women’s healthcare groups to voice their shock.

After the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) – the UK’s largest abortion provider – raised concerns about a lack of information on abortions, BBC Action Line said they had chosen to not include it because it was “contentious”.

“Doing so could imply the BBC supported one side or another,” they said.

The BBC Action Line added: “It isn’t possible for the BBC Action Line to offer support for abortion and similarly contentious issues without referring people either to campaigning organisations which take a particular stance on an issue or to organisations which provide it.”

The episode, which attracted an audience of 8.9 million people, told a harrowing story about a fatal abortion.

A group of women’s healthcare bodies have written to BBC Action Line asking them to change their decision and include information on abortion. The letter is signed by BPAS, the Royal College of Midwives, Brook, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, Family Planning Association, Marie Stopes UK and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Katherine O’Brien, a spokesperson for BPAS, said: “We were absolutely shocked by the BBC’s stance. When we first contacted the BBC, we assumed the omission was a simple error, rather than being reflective of any policy position.

“It is hard to imagine how they came to this completed out-dated position because it is completely at odds with the views of wider society.

"Abortion is the most common gynaecological procedure in this country – it is not contentious, it is a vital part of women’s healthcare.”

She noted Call the Midwife dealt with abortion with great sensitivity and care – saying it was therefore highly contradictory for the BBC to bar links to information about the issue.

“It is interesting to note that the BBC Action Line, quite rightly, links to information regarding other issues that some people might personally oppose,” she added. “No one would suggest the BBC should not include reference to IVF, for example, because a small minority of people object to it. Abortion should be treated in the same way as all other medical procedures.”

Ms O’Brien, who said she had never come across a similar case before, noted the RTE website, which is the national broadcaster in Ireland, links to impartial advice around abortion despite abortion laws there having only recently been liberalised.

She said there was "clearly no legitimate reason” to prohibit information about an NHS-funded service.

“Abortion has been legal, in certain circumstances, in Great Britain for over 50 years, and 98 per cent of terminations are funded by the NHS,” the groups said. “Abortion is the most common gynaecological procedure in the UK, and one in three women will have an abortion in their lifetime.

“Polling demonstrates that the vast majority of the public support a woman’s right to choose, including those with a religious belief. Abortion is not a 'contentious issue' – it is a routine part of NHS-funded healthcare, provided by doctors, nurses, and midwives every day in hospitals and clinics across the country.”

They took issue with BBC Action Line for saying that including links to information about abortion could imply the BBC supported one side.

“In barring information the BBC is in effect ‘supporting one side’ by treating abortion as different to all the other medical procedures and conditions the BBC chooses to include,” they said. “This is highly stigmatising for the healthcare professionals we represent and the women we care for.”

The healthcare bodies have provided links to evidence-based, impartial information for the BBC to consider.

A BBC spokesperson said: “Abortion is a controversial subject across the UK, but there’s no reason why the BBC cannot link to advice sites which provide information on it. BBC Action line advice around Call The Midwife links to a number of sources of pregnancy advice and information, including the NHS website which includes information about abortion.”