At-home abortions permanent in England and Wales
Last week saw a major step forward in ensuring the wellbeing and safety of women requiring access to abortion services. On 30 August, at-home early medical abortions were made permanent for women (and other non-female identifying pregnant people) in England and Wales.
Credit: The Guardian.
This new legislation will allow women to access pills via a teleconsultation and the pills will be taken from home for gestation of up to nine weeks and six days. The move comes after all independent sector abortion clinics were reapproved to continue providing their services across England and Wales; these approvals remain valid until 31 July 2026.
The
government aim to publish safeguarding guidance for any under-18s wishing to
access the early medical abortion, which will be published by the Royal College
of Paediatrics and Child Health. The guidance shows that every young person
should have access to early medical abortions and all clinics will look after
their holistic and safeguarding needs.
Women
now have greater options in how and where they can access abortions services,
with new legislation allowing women to abort safely from their home. With numerous
women finding themselves face-to-face with pro-life groups and activists
outside abortion clinics, which is both unsettling and traumatising, having an
at-home abortion ensures women’s safety and comfort during the early stages. First
Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon stated: ‘Everybody, everybody without
exception should have the right to access healthcare without fear and intimidation.’
Doctors
will be recording information on all at-home patients, including the place of termination
and any details on the virtual consultation. This data aims to monitor the impact
and use of at-home abortions, which will perhaps open more pathways for greater
medical freedom. Doctors must certify
that the termination is occurring under 10 weeks for the pills to be prescribed
from home.
The
early abortion process involves taking mifepristone to stop the hormone that
allows the pregnancy to continue. The second pill, misoprostol, is taken 24-to-47
hours later causing bleeding and the loss of the pregnancy. This early
termination does not require surgery of anaesthetic.
Early
abortions at home are not new to Great Britain and were first introduced as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic in a successful move to reduce the risk of transmission.
Unfortunately, this provision was brought to an end in February this year in
England and Wales after the pandemic restrictions were lifted. In Scotland, the
service was allowed to continue permanently.
Anti-choice
campaigners argued that early at-home abortions may lead to an abuse and misuse
of medication, however, recent studies suggest otherwise. In 2021, a study of
over 50,000 abortions before and after COVID-19 by the British Journal of Obstetrics
and Gynaecology concluded that at-home abortions are ‘effective, safe,
acceptable, and improves access to care. These medical findings were
quintessential in last week’s ruling.
Some
pro-life groups, such as Right to Life, have raised domestic abuse as a
potential issue, arguing that at-home abortion pills removes the opportunity of
medical professionals to prevent abuse or coercion. The group suggest that some
women may be forced to have an at-home abortion by the abuser as an easy way to
cover up abuse or scandals. However, the government responded that it remains
committed to providing women with expert care. Another issue raised by
pro-lifers is that women over the 10-week gestation period could lie and obtain
the medication. Despite the media creating a worry around this possibility, it
is highly unlikely with studies showing that since the pandemic this has constituted
to 0.04% of cases; any person found purposefully misleading abortion providers
could be jailed for life.
Despite
pro-lifers claiming otherwise, this is a massive move for women’s reproductive
rights, health and safety and will also see a release of pressure on the NHS.