On 3 October it was ruled that Northern Ireland’s abortion law breaches the UK’s human-rights commitments.
Sarah Ewart challenged the law after she was denied a termination. The judge said that she ruled in Mrs Ewart’s favour as it was not right to ask another woman to relive the trauma that she had already experienced. Mrs Ewart had travelled to England for a termination when tests showed her baby had a condition that meant life beyond the womb was unlikely.
Mrs Ewart said the ruling was ‘a turning point for women’ in their campaign against ‘outdated laws’.
Not NICE
Changes to the NICE abortion guidelines announced in September may threaten the health of women and result in more abortions taking place. The guidelines recommend that women self-refer for abortions which would result in less time for women to reflect on their decision. Face-to-face consultations with a GP could move to being phone conversations and this would include pre-and post-abortion appointments (including those who had delivered the foetus at home). There would also no longer be a requirement for an ultrasound to be undertaken prior to an abortion taking place.
A research associate at the University of Oxford said this ‘is not an improvement in health services for women’.
Stillborn tragedy
British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), Britain’s largest abortion provider, objected to plans that would let coroners hold inquests for stillbirths over fears that the move will recognise the humanity and personhood of an unborn baby.
This followed UK government proposals which recommended new powers for coroners that would enable them to hold inquests for full-term stillbirths from 37 weeks’ gestation. BPAS complained that this would be used to suggest changes that could save the lives of unborn babies.
In its response to a joint consultation from the Ministry of Justice and Department for Health and Social Care, BPAS expressed ‘serious concern’ that the proposals risk ‘conferring a degree of foetal personhood’ which is not currently reflected by existing law.
