What Is Abortion?
WHAT IS AN ABORTION?
Abortion is a medical procedure with the sole aim of ending a pregnancy. Another name for abortion is termination.
Depending upon the length of the pregnancy an abortion can be carried out by the following 2 methods::
By taking medication – You will be given 2 sets of abortion pills. They will be taken 24 – 48 hours apart. These pills will induce an abortion. Whether you take these tablets at home or at the clinic or hospital will depend upon the length of the pregnancy.
By surgery – A surgical procedure will end the pregnancy. The procedures can be carried out under local anaesthetic, conscious anaesthetic or general anaesthetic. The type of surgical procedure and anaesthetic used will depend upon the length of the pregnancy.
WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY ABOUT ABORTION?
Under the abortion act 1967 an abortion can be carried out until 23 weeks and 6 days of a pregnancy as long as specific criteria are met. The abortion must be carried out by a registered medical doctor. The abortion must also be authorised by two other registered medical doctors and meet one or more of the following grounds. Both doctors must agree that at least one and the same ground is met:
- The pregnancy has not surpassed 23 weeks and 6 days and if continued would risk injury to the physical or mental health of the woman or any existing children of her family.
- The pregnancy if continued would risk permanent physical or mental health injury to the woman.
- The pregnancy, if continued, would risk the life of the woman.
- There is a risk that if the child were born it would suffer from physical or mental abnormalities.
After 23 weeks and 6 days an abortion can only be done if the mothers life is at risk or the child will suffer from severe disability.
LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE FOR THE ABORTION ACT 1967
WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY ABOUT ‘DO IT YOURSELF’ ABORTION?
It is illegal to carry out your own abortion. It is illegal to purchase abortion pills yourself and take them.
WHERE CAN AN ABORTION BE CARRIED OUT?
An abortion can only be carried out in an NHS hospital/clinic or a private clinic that has been granted a licence to provide abortion services.
WHAT IS THE COST OF AN ABORTION?
The abortion is free at a NHS hospital or clinic if you have been referred by your GP or an NHS sexual health or family planning clinic.
You will have to pay a private fee at a private clinic. However, some private clinics undertake NHS funded abortions which will be free for the patient. Please call the clinic for details.
HOW CAN YOU GET AN ABORTION?
Contact your GP – Your GP will refer you to your local NHS abortion service.
Contact your local sexual health or family planning clinic – They can refer you to your local NHS abortion service. The contact details for these sexual health or family planning clinics will be found on your local authority website.
LINK TO GOVERNMENT WEBSITE TO FIND YOUR LOCAL AUTHORITY
You can contact a private abortion clinic directly – You can be charged a private fee in some cases. However, these clinics will do NHS funded abortions.
WHO HAS A SAY WHETHER YOU CAN HAVE AN ABORTION OR NOT?
As long as the law is followed and the criteria have been met, only you and no one else has a say in whether you can have an abortion or not.
IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR ABORTION PRIVATE CAN YOU?
Yes you can. If you do not want the abortion clinic to inform your GP they will not as long as there are no complications. If you would like the clinic to keep all your details private, they will.
CAN YOU KEEP YOUR ABORTION SECRET IF YOU ARE UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE?
Yes you can. The clinic cannot inform your parents nor can they make you tell your parents.
CAN AN ABORTION AFFECT YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING PREGNANT AGAIN?
If the abortion goes to plan and there are no complications then there is no affect on your chances of getting pregnant again.