Year: 1988
Type: editorial
Abstract: The Abortion (Amendment) Bill in the British House of Commons would lower the maximum limit for termination of pregnancy from 28 to 18 weeks. Supporters of the bill assert that Britain allows termination of pregnancy later than any other European country, and that in Britain over 90% of all late abortions are of fetuses without phisical abnormality. The 28-week limit is considered anachronoistic by doctors since neonatal care has made possible survival at 24 weeks. A similar bill in the House of Lords would reduce the limit to 24 weeks. Making early abortions more easily available would help reduce late abortions. Statistics indicate that women who have abortions late in their pregnancies tend to be young. In 1986, 172,286 abortions were performed in England and Wales. Of these, 144,857, or 84%, were performed before the 13th week. A total of 8276 (5%) were performed after 18 weeks. Of these, 3688 (45% of late abortions) were on nonresidents who traveled to Britain because of legal restrictions in their own country. This means that 4594 late abortions were performed on residents of England and Wales in 1986. This was 3% of the total, with 14% of this number on grounds of fetal abnormality. About 40% of the rest were in women under the age of 20, with 6% (239) on girls under 16. A 1984 study concluded that more counseling and information should be provided for young women. Education in contraception for young women is less than ideal and likely to become less available as economic restraints reduce the number of family planning clinics. Postcoital contraception should be taught more as an emergency proceedure. Prompt, dispassionate physician counseling, wider provision of National Health Service facilities, and uniform service in all districts would also be beneficial.
Source: BMJ
Author: T. Smith
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2049491884