The Great Abortion Divide

A short post this week on a programme I watched on BBC1 last night, ‘Panorama: The Great Abortion Divide’

The Abortion Act was passed in 1967. Technically the law did not legalise abortions, but rather provided legal defence for those carrying them out. Under the act abortions can be performed legally (in England, Scotland and Wales) under certain conditions. For example if continuing with the pregnancy involves a greater risk to the physical/mental health of the woman than having a termination.

In the UK each year about 200,000 abortions are carried out - as a result some people question whether the legislation passed in 1967 is being abused, did it intended to sanction so many procedures?

When discussing or thinking about medical ethics I try to think back to the four main ethical principles; autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice - how can these be applied to abortion?

As i’m sure you are aware there are two main groups in the ‘abortion divide’, pro-life and pro-choice and both are mentioned and represented in the programme. Something I found interesting was that there was very little talk of the foetus itself in the programme, what about the rights of the ‘child’? However this relates to the most complex issue in the debate - when does life begin, when does the foetus become a human being?

Another interesting aspect of the programme was just how different things are in Northern Ireland. Despite being in the UK a woman cannot get an abortion, even in cases of rape.
The legislation dates from 1861 and a woman can only access abortion services if her life is at risk.

The programme describes two options available to women in Northern Ireland with an unwanted pregnancy, a trip to England for a private procedure or breaking the law by taking abortion pills with the knowledge they could be charged with murder.

So, currently there are two very different laws governing abortion within the UK but perhaps this will change in the future? What about a reduction in the number of weeks after which you can have an abortion? (Something the Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt revealed he would favour last year.)

If you can watch the programme on BBC iPlayer!