Abortion


The debate

The arguments in favour of allowing abortion are:

The arguments against allowing abortion are:

Current debate in the UK

The pro-abortion lobby argues that women should have the right to request an abortion up to the end of the third month of pregnancy. They say that the present law is not implemented equally across the UK, so that a woman's treatment may depend upon the attitude of her doctor. The procedures also introduce unnecessary delay.

The pro-life lobby argues that the law has in effect permitted abortion on demand. Very few abortions are carried out because of the risk of the child being born handicapped or to save the life of the mother. The amendment introduced by the 1990 Act allows termination to be carried out right up to the time of birth, long after the child is capable of living outside the womb.

Further information can be found on the internet:

The Abortion Law Reform Association www.alra.org.uk
Christian Action Research and Education (CARE) www.care.org.uk
BBC News Abortion site
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_1869000/1869009.stm

Belgium

Abortion is permitted up to the 12th week of pregnancy where there is a state of distress or emergency. There is a waiting period of six days. There is no time limit where there is serious risk to health or foetal health, on the agreement of two doctors.

Denmark

Abortion is permitted up to the 12th week of pregnancy on request. Parental consent is required for those under 18. Abortion is permitted up the 24th week of pregnancy where there is risk to physical or mental health, foetal health, following rape, or on socio-medical/economical grounds.

Germany

Abortion is permitted up to the 14th week of pregnancy on request, with compulsory counselling and a waiting period of three days. Abortion is permitted up to the 16th week for rape. There is no time limit for abortion for medical reasons.

Greece

Abortion is permitted up to the 12th week of pregnancy on request. Parental consent is required for those under 16. Abortion is permitted up to the 24th week for rape or where there is risk to physical or mental health, or for socio-medical/economic reasons.

Spain

Abortion is permitted up to the 12th week of pregnancy for rape. It is permitted up to 22 weeks for grave risk to mental or physical health. Abortion must be on the approval of two doctors, and those under 18 must have parental consent.

France

Abortion is permitted up to the 12th week of pregnancy on request, with a waiting period of 7 days. Parental consent is required for those under 18. Abortion is permitted up to the 24th week for risk to life, physical or foetal health.

Ireland

Abortion is permitted only in an emergency to save a woman's life; this includes cases where the woman is suicidal - regarded by the Catholic Church as an unsatisfactory loophole. There have been many referendums on the subject over the years; in March 2002, it was narrowly decided not to close the suicide loophole. About 7,000 Irish women a year travel to Britain to have an abortion; this is nearly one in ten of Irish pregnancies.

Italy

Abortion is permitted up to 90 days (12-13 weeks) on request, with a waiting period of 7 days. Parental consent is required for those under 18.

Luxembourg

Abortion is permitted up to the 12th week of pregnancy for socio-medical/economic reasons, with a waiting period of 5 days and on the recommendation of one doctor. Abortion is permitted up to the 24th week of pregnancy where there is risk to physical or mental health, or foetal health and in cases of rape.

Netherlands

Abortion is permitted up to the 24th week of pregnancy on request, with a waiting period of 5 days. Parental consent is required for those under 18.

Austria

Abortion is permitted on request up to the 14th-15th week of pregnancy. Parental consent is required for those under 14. Abortion is permitted up to the 24th week of pregnancy where there is a risk to life, physical or mental health or foetal health.

Portugal

Abortion is permitted up to the 12th week of pregnancy where there is a risk to life or health, foetal malformation, or in cases of rape. This must be on approval of two doctors and with a waiting period of 3 days. Parental consent is required for minors. A referendum in 1998 supported the existing law by 51% to 49%.

Finland

Abortion is permitted up to the 12th week of pregnancy for socio-medical/economic reasons. Abortion is permitted up to the 20th week where there is risk to life, physical or foetal health. Abortion must be on the recommendation of two doctors.

Sweden

Abortion is permitted up to the 18th week of pregnancy on request, although most are carried out before the 12th week. After 18 weeks, abortion must be approved by the National Health Board.

United Kingdom

Abortion is permitted up to the 24th week of pregnancy where there is a risk to the physical or mental health of the mother or to the health of the foetus. Approval of two doctors is required. This law does not apply to Northern Ireland.

The 1967 Abortion Act allowed abortion up to the 28th week of pregnancy. The 1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act changed the limit to 24 weeks for most circumstances, but allowed termination at any stage for some exceptional situations. (Where the termination is after 24 weeks it must be registered as a stillbirth and the foetus must be given a burial or cremation.)

Iceland

Abortion is permitted to save a woman's life, to preserve mental or physical health and for economic/social reasons, in cases of rape or foetal impairment. The law requires the woman to have counselling both before and after the abortion and to receive education about contraception.

Norway

Abortion is permitted on request in early pregnancy.

Switzerland

Until 2002, abortion was illegal in Switzerland, and women who had an abortion were liable to up to 5 years in prison and a heavy fine. In practice, no one had been convicted for 14 years and abortions were widespread, except in the strongly Catholic cantons. After a referendum in June 2002, the law was changed to decriminalise abortions up to the 12th week of pregnancy. The woman must provide a written request and agree to counselling and medical advice on her options.