DIY abortion policy led to home abortion at 28 weeks

Rebekah Moffett, Communications Officer, comments on how an abortion at 28-weeks shows the need for the government to reverse the law on home abortion.

Police are now investigating the stillbirth of a child born at 28 weeks after one woman took abortion pills she had been sent by abortion provider BPAS through its ‘pills by post’ scheme – four weeks after the legal limit for medical terminations.

The Abortion Act currently allows for abortions up to 24 weeks, with the new laws introducing at-home abortions allowing for women to abort their own children up to 10 weeks.

The woman, who remains anonymous, was mailed the abortion pills under the new relaxed laws despite already being four weeks past the legal limit – and 18 weeks past the 10-week restriction for DIY abortions.

According to Tommy’s – an organisation that researches miscarriages, stillbirths and premature births – babies born at around 27 weeks have an 89% chance of survival. Even those who are born at 24 weeks – the legal limit of abortion – have a 60% chance of survival outside the womb.

New laws being abused

Sadly, this case is not a one-off. BPAS has confirmed it is investigating this case and an additional eight cases where women have taken the pills beyond the ten-week limit.

A Midlands coroner is now investigating the death of the child and police have also reportedly been informed.

Under the new scheme, a woman can speak for 40 minutes with a trained nurse or midwife before being prescribed the abortion pills and later receiving them in the post.

Speaking to The Sun, one whistleblower commented: “The ‘pills by post’ system has been brought in but a 40-minute phone call can never be the same as a proper medical consultation.

“There needs to be a proper investigation to find out just what went wrong.”

Government misled

This abuse of DIY abortions is just the latest reason that the government should reverse its policy.

In a hearing at the High Court last week, one former abortion-insider exposed how the government had been misled by abortion industry ‘experts’ into relaxing abortion law to allow for home abortions. Kevin Duffy, a former director at Marie Stopes International, explained in his witness statement that a phone or video call could never replace a clinical visit, however the details of why were omitted from advice to the government.

In fact, various clinical assessments are usually required before any pills are prescribed, including an ultrasound scan to determine gestational age, a blood pressure check, blood tests and various other tests.

As gestational age increases, so do the risks of side effects from taking the abortion pills. This information was not included in advice given to the government either.

How many illegal abortions?

The abortion industry estimated that during the first 13 weeks of lockdown, some 44,000 women would ‘need’ access to home abortions. Since the ‘pills by post’ scheme began, BPAS has said that it has issued over 8,000 women with the abortion pills.

But how many of these have really been sent to women who exceed the limit? There’s simply no way to tell.

Christian Concern is continuing to challenge the reinterpretation of the abortion law allowing abortions to take place without any proper medical supervision. The challenge is now being taken to the Court of Appeal. Now is the time to keep up the pressure on all fronts – how many more vulnerable women must be taken advantage of, how many more unborn babies must be needlessly sacrificed before the government protects them?

Pro-abortion campaigners have always said that legalising abortion is essential to avoid backstreet abortions, but they are now facilitating illegal, dangerous home abortions through this scheme.

The policy to introduce at-home abortions was always meant to be a temporary measure under lockdown. Since the decision was made, some lockdown measures have already been relaxed and conditions have changed substantially.

It is time for the Health Secretary to urgently reverse this policy. Please write to your MP, copying in the Health Secretary, asking him to reverse these measures. You can read our guidance on what to write.