24-Week Abortion Time Limit

EDM number 1598 in 2007-08, proposed by Chris McCafferty on 16/05/2008.
Categorised under the topics of Health services and Medical ethics.

That this House notes that reducing the abortion time-limit from 24 weeks would force some women to continue a pregnancy and give birth against their will; further notes that the time-limit is considered by many people to be set on the basis of when the foetus would be viable; further notes the findings of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee's recent report Scientific Developments relating to the Abortion Act 1967, and its conclusion that below 24 weeks they `have seen no good evidence to suggest that the foetal viability has improved significantly since the abortion time-limit was last set, and seen some good evidence to suggest that it has not'; further notes that this view, that there is no medical or scientific justification for a reduction in the current abortion time limit, is shared by the BMA, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the British Association of Perinatal Medicine, the RCN, the FPA and Antenatal Results and Choices; observes that less than 2 per cent. of abortions take place above 20 weeks gestation and involve the most vulnerable women in the most difficult personal circumstances who are not undertaking abortion lightly; believes that the best way to reduce the number of abortions is to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies by improving sex and relationships education, and improving access to effective contraception; and therefore supports women's access to safe legal abortion, within the current ethically and scientifically justified time-limit of 24 weeks.

This motion has been signed by a total of 105 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.