More than 1,000 medical professionals have <a href="https://righttolife-org-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/22-IaTeiEJJjcG_p_JA3DLdFe57ybSqvtvTFMVJwx4ojCZNd9lwHO8QZ8g-xhK6UIMPqB6usPGotYgo219Qoozfold4AJpg4E10o7q19e-sa7ngEaCvJKuN3tdwPBLwunEcFsz31d9JFdr3JkGIC4L9MfBYtpXCDUrqezlRLYdVz10TBVbf1e8apTjHqzT352j_bQY5y4sORBqPiZZGfRQM_WuSbYWTDPRMPqeeCc8QKHxDnHP9RTTN_RZYKXe3maOuCKw4OVDLMMUkA"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">called on MPs</mark></a> to oppose two abortion up to birth amendments that have been tabled to the Government’s Crime and Policing Bill.
In a letter to all 650 MPs, the medics have urged MPs to reject two extreme amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, tabled by Stella Creasy and Tonia Antoniazzi , and to instead reinstate in-person consultations with a medical professional prior to an abortion taking place at home, as proposed by Dr Caroline Johnson’s amendment.
Polling <a href="https://righttolife-org-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com/2xtMkkTBurYndkTpGEyOAM53B3bP9MRdltcki5P6lLgbQZNd9lwG1olJtl0OImA2CPjLTMvFQMjz_bSwoFO_Of3xqZ6yRYv8jwWr1TsXJjKbXbywiBxE3z1z9-xexN7aiX2fgyq8z8_P7uOIVhLsqsa6BD6FDfv3aU9bQF1FcouQxhUsrz1a2ByMSPGFgsjnH5xlScQxvU1zWHvr06Ylp9G4YL3NdsRm7P760-HRyTKSATsAx0zSfMaXLj8fq2ju0wwKI4qRf7EM1hgeAFqhKmU9rq2wu_GOEACvlAMcR4xrLZvmq8vBRcKVepm1Nj949EltQ"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">published</mark></a> this week shows widespread public support for the law change proposed by Dr Johnson’s amendment, with two-thirds of women supporting the reinstatement of in-person appointments and only four per cent in favour of retaining the so-called “pills by post” scheme which has allowed abuses.
The amendment tabled by Tonia Antoniazzi, would change the law so it would no longer be illegal for women to perform their own abortions for any reason, including sex-selective purposes, and at any point up to and during birth, likely leading to a significant increase in the number of women performing dangerous late-term abortions at home.
The amendment tabled by Stella Creasy, would render the 24-week time limit set out in section 1(1)(a) of the Abortion Act 1967 obsolete, permitting both women and abortion providers to perform abortions on demand, for any reason, including sex-selective purposes, at any stage, up to birth.
MPs will vote on the amendments tonight. <mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color"><a href="https://www.cbcew.org.uk/oppose-abortion-amendments-crime-policing-bill/">Catholics have been encouraged by their bishops</a> </mark>and by pro-life campaign groups <a href="https://thecatholicherald.com/catholics-urged-to-contact-mps-ahead-of-tonights-votes-for-abortion-up-to-birth/"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">to contact their representatives urgently to demand that they vote against the measures.</mark></a>
The full text of the letter from medical professionals to MPs and ministers reads:
<em>"We are writing as medical professionals to express our grave concerns with Tonia Antoniazzi and Stella Creasy’s amendments (New Clauses 1 and 201) to the Crime and Policing Bill that would change the law so it would no longer be illegal for women to administer their own abortions right through to birth. Instead of supporting these amendments, we urge MPs to protect women by reinstating in-person appointments before abortion pills may be prescribed in order to accurately assess a woman’s gestational age, health risks and the risk of coercion.</em>
<em>"If offences that make it illegal for a woman to administer her own abortion at any gestation were repealed, such abortions would, de facto, become possible up to birth for any reason including abortions for sex-selective purposes, as women could, mistakenly, knowingly or under coercion, mislead abortion providers about their gestational age. If either of these amendments were to become law, it would also likely lead to serious risks to women’s health because of the dangers involved with self-administered late abortions.</em>
<em>"A November 2023 government review of abortion complications in England from 2017 to 2021 found that the complication rate for medical abortions that happen in a clinical setting is 160 times higher for abortions at 20 weeks and over compared with medical abortions under 10 weeks.2 The complication rate is likely to be far higher for women administering their own abortions at home without medical supervision well beyond the current 24-week time limit. </em>
<em>"Quite aside from the increased number of viable babies’ lives being ended beyond the 24-week time limit, there would likely be a significant increase in such complications if Tonia Antoniazzi or Stella Creasy’s amendments were to pass as they would remove any legal deterrent against women administering their own abortions late in pregnancy. The current law permits flexibility and compassion where necessary but, for these reasons, we believe a legal deterrent remains important.</em>
<em>"Rather than making matters worse by passing this amendment, as medical professionals, we, the undersigned, call on MPs to vote against New Clauses 1 and 20. We also urge Parliament to reinstate in-person appointments before women may be prescribed abortion pills in order to accurately assess their gestational age and health. This is an important part of safeguarding (to protect against coerced abortion) and would enable healthcare professionals to ensure that abortion pills are only prescribed in cases when it is both medically and legally compliant to do so."</em>
<em>(PA Photo)</em>
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