Research, data analysis, and commentary on abortion, fertility trends, and pro-natal policies.
In the UK, providers of abortion services must comply with the Required Standard Operating Procedures (“the RSOPs”) set out in this document issued by the Department of Health and Social Care. RSOP12 details the information which must be provided to the woman, and how: Women must be given impartial, accurate and evidence-based information (verbal and written)... Continue Reading →
This is my response to an article in the New Statesman on December 15th, 2020. My main concern is the assertion that abortion has become safer since the introduction of telemedicine in April. The article states that there has been just one complication in more than 23,000 abortions at home, and that is clearly wrong,... Continue Reading →
Since government approval was granted for telemedicine abortion at home, less than half of all eligible women have chosen, or were offered, the option of pills by post. There are more women still visiting abortion clinics than those using telemedicine. On March 30th, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 lockdown and the ensuing difficulties facing... Continue Reading →
In this ten-minute video clip, I outline the findings from our Mystery Client Investigation into the provision of telemedicine abortion at home. https://videopress.com/v/h87QuJaU?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata This was at a briefing for parliamentarians organised and hosted by Christian Concern on Thursday 10th December. Other speakers included: The lawfulness of pills-by-post (Roger Kiska, Legal Counsel, Christian Legal Centre) New... Continue Reading →
Abortion supporters go to great lengths to assure women that at early gestations, their ‘pregnancy’ is nothing more than a clump of cells, that it is not yet a baby. This article shows how a baby develops in utero, from the moment of conception. On 30 March 2020, Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for... Continue Reading →
Based on official data, it's likely that there have been 2,800 failed, incomplete abortions self-administered by women at home since the start of April; 350 incomplete every month. Official government data issued by the Department of Health and Social Care show that during April-June there was a monthly average of 17,800 abortions across England and... Continue Reading →
What is the Global Gag Rule and if you are a UK taxpayer, or a pro-life supporter, why should you care about political issues in the USA? My takeaway: It’s time to stop using our UK taxes to fund international NGOs in their provision of and campaigning for abortion on-demand across Africa. Less than two... Continue Reading →
When your global strategy is to promote and enable self-managed medical abortion, even in places in which the national laws prohibit this, then you need catchy slogans to justify your actions to your supporter base. How about these two: Harm reduction.Conscientious provision. In most countries, even in those in which the abortion law is relatively... Continue Reading →
I was recently asked: “…do we really want women to spend more time in the care of abortion providers? Why would we campaign for that?” This was asked in the context of the public consultation into the ‘Future Arrangements For Early Medical Abortion at Home’, currently being conducted in Scotland. My answer is unequivocal: “Yes,... Continue Reading →
There’s increasing debate about the lack of official provision of abortion services across Northern Ireland, with concerns being raised that women are risking their health and safety by turning to the backstreets. I think the rhetoric around ‘backstreet’ abortion is flawed. It is more likely that when official abortion services are not being provided, or... Continue Reading →
On International Safe Abortion Day, September 28th, Marie Stopes International held a public webinar, during which one of its presenters stated that self-managed medical abortion using drugs from pharmacies across India is not legal. This is important because MSI has been reporting for many years that its operation in India provides at least 40% of... Continue Reading →
#CareAtHome is being used by many on Twitter lobbying for the provision of telemedicine abortion in Northern Ireland. #CareAtHome – sounds so nice, who wouldn’t want it, but what’s the reality behind the hashtag? I suppose #CareInMyBathroom or #CareOnMyToilet doesn’t have the same appeal. Realities of abortion at home. On 28 May, the Daily Mail published a... Continue Reading →
In November 2018, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Great Britain) published a study into the safety and acceptability of medical abortion through telemedicine provided by Women on Web in Poland. This study noted: a lack of certainty in the self-reporting of gestational age; an increasing need for surgical intervention as GA increased; and... Continue Reading →
31 countries, including Poland, are clearing stating that abortion law is a sovereign matter; the United Nations and international organisations can lobby and campaign for abortion policy change but do not have the right to provide or enable the provision of illegal abortion services. Abortion law This week, Poland’s constitutional tribunal ruled that abortion for... Continue Reading →
First published by Christian Concern on its website, on October 13th, 2020. A key finding from our mystery client survey is that both BPAS and Marie Stopes UK operate as if abortion is legal by choice in Great Britain. A woman simply has to ask for one and can provide any reason for choosing her termination... Continue Reading →
Over many years, there has been a slow, steady increase in the proportion of abortions which occur at lower gestational age. The percentage of abortions at <10 weeks in 2009 was 75% and this had risen to 82% by 2019. Data released by the Department of Health and Social Care show these data in more... Continue Reading →
Over many years, there has been a trend towards the preferred use of medication for abortions across England and Wales. DHSC data show that in 2008 the method mix for abortion was 62% surgical and 37% medical. In 2013-14, the proportional use of each method is equal, and since then medical abortion has been the... Continue Reading →
On March 30th, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 lockdown and the ensuing difficulties facing those needing to visit clinics, the Secretary of State for the Department of Health and Social Care approved the home of a pregnant woman as a place in which both medications for an early medical abortion could be taken. Across... Continue Reading →
In the first six months of 2020, across England and Wales, 52 official forms of notification (HSA4) were submitted by abortion practitioners to the DHSC, certifying medical abortions at home in which the gestational age was recorded at more than the legal permitted limit of 10 weeks. Written answer by DHSC to Freedom of Information... Continue Reading →
UPDATE on October 8th, 2020: "Since the 1 April the Department has not been notified of any maternal deaths relating to abortion. The Department is aware of reports of two women who died after seeking abortion treatment earlier this year. Both sought care before the temporary approval came into force on 30 March and physically... Continue Reading →
