Health chiefs voice fears over MP’s move to cut abortion limit

Exclusive: President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said they are against any reduction in abortion time limits

Fears have been raised that proposals to reduce the abortion deadline by two weeks could inflict cruelty on vulnerable women and actually increase the number of pregnancy terminations.

The warnings come after Tory MP Caroline Ansell proposed an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill to decrease the legal limit to have an abortion from the current deadline of 24 weeks to 22 weeks – with MPs set to vote on the proposals in due course.

But healthcare leaders and abortion providers told The Independent that Ms Ansell’s plans, which have gained the backing of a cross-party group of 26 MPs, were “incredibly cruel” and not grounded in clinical fact.

Dr Ranee Thakar, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ president, said they are against any reduction in abortion time limits.

She added: “Only one per cent of abortions happen after 20 weeks, but these are often undertaken because significant foetal anomalies are detected or because of serious maternal health issues.

“Late recognition of the pregnancy or unforeseen changes in a woman’s personal circumstances can also mean women access a later term abortion. Regardless of the reason, we firmly believe that no woman should be forced to continue a pregnancy against her will.”

Dr Thakar called for greater investment in local abortion services to ensure women are not forced to endure lengthy waiting times or embark on long trips to access terminations.

Her comments come as MPs are also set to vote on an amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill next month that would see pregnancy terminations wholly decriminalised in England and Wales.

Jonathan Lord, medical director of MSI Reproductive Choices, the UK’s leading abortion provider, added: “When a couple get the awful news of a scan anomaly at 18-20 weeks, they are distraught and rightly want diagnostic tests.

“Those can take a few weeks, so reducing the limit to when these tests aren’t ready will pressurise this group into having to consider an abortion whilst they can, rather than wait for any reassurance that the tests may indicate.”

Dr Lord, who is co-chair of the British Society of Abortion Care Providers, warned that curbing the cut-off point could actually increase the number of abortions taking place, adding that it is highly rare for terminations to be carried out after 22 weeks.

But in these unusual cases, women are “often exceptionally vulnerable”, the consultant gynaecologist at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust added, citing examples of patients who are in denial that they are pregnant due to suffering extreme distress and cases involving young pregnant teenagers.

Members of Parliament should not be fooled by this predictable move from anti-abortion MPs to try and move focus away from the fact that they believe that in 2024, women should be jailed for having an abortion

Rachael Clarke

He also cited examples of patients falling pregnant after being raped, domestic abuse victims living in fear of their partners, and those with mental health issues.

“Forcing them to give birth would be incredibly cruel and reinforces the abuse some have already suffered,” Dr Lord said.

Explaining why she wants the abortion limit to be cut, Ms Ansell recently told The Daily Telegraph: "Our current time limit is an outlier compared with our European neighbours and my hope is this amendment will command widespread support across the house.”

In France and Spain, the cut-off point for an abortion is 14 weeks.

Professor Katie Morris, president of British Maternal and Fetal Medicine Society, added: “For the most vulnerable women in our society, such as those who suffer domestic abuse or rape as examples, being able to access abortion after 20 weeks could be lifesaving.

“For all of these women in complex and distressing situations we must have compassion and be able to offer abortion as a form of healthcare.”

Abortions can legally be carried out within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy in England, Scotland and Wales. But pregnancy terminations must be approved by two doctors, with the health professionals agreeing that continuing with the pregnancy would be riskier for the physical or mental health of the woman than having an abortion.

If a medical professional delivers an abortion outside of the terms of the 1967 Abortion Act, they are at risk of being prosecuted. Legislation passed in 1861 means any woman who ends a pregnancy without getting legal permission from two doctors can face up to life imprisonment.

We must trust women to know what is best for their own bodies, lives and families

Louise McCudden

Rachael Clarke, chief of staff at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, a leading abortion provider, said: “These proposals are not supported by any medical bodies, are not based in clinical fact, and do not have the support of the British public.

“Members of Parliament should not be fooled by this predictable move from anti-abortion MPs to try and move focus away from the fact that they believe that in 2024, women should be jailed for having an abortion.

“In light of the roll back in women’s rights in the US, none of us should be surprised to see American-funded anti-abortion groups leading attempts to deny thousands of British women every year the legal abortions they need.”

Abortions can legally be carried out after 24 weeks in a number of highly limited situations, such as when the mother’s life is at risk or the child would be born with severe disabilities.

But government data shows abortions performed at 24 weeks or over only make up 0.1 per cent of the total – with 276 such abortions in 2021.

Louise McCudden, of MSI Reproductive Choices’ UK, warned curbing the cut-off for abortions would be “devastating for the small number of women in the incredibly difficult position of needing to consider an abortion at this point in their pregnancy.”

She added: “Women would be forced to choose between continuing an unwanted or dangerous pregnancy and risking criminal prosecution.”

Ms McCudden explained that women already tend to do the “lion’s share” of childcare and caring for relatives and we must “trust women to know what is best for their own bodies, lives and families.”

“Some foetal anomalies are not picked up until 22 weeks,” she added. “Forcing people to make a decision before they have all the information is heartless and, ironically, will leave some people feeling they have no option but to end an otherwise wanted pregnancy.”

Ms Ansell has been approached for comment.