Daily Express 21 Ottobre 2008

GIRLS aged 12 could be given drugs to induce home abortions under plans being debated by MPs this week

Liberal Democrat member Evan Harris believes schoolgirls 9 weeks pregnant should be allowed to take pills with no need to inform their parents.

Anti-abortion campaigners are outraged. Tory MP Nadine Dorries, a former nurse who wants to reduce the abortion time limit, warned: “We are talking about young girls who will go home and abort on their own.

“Women who are aborting should be in an environment where they can be given advice, reassurance and adequate pain relief.”

The changes backed by Dr Harris will be debated as part of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill which returns to the Commons this week after a stormy second reading.

Dr Harris believes abortions should not be limited to clinics.

His amendments to the Bill say women and young girls should be allowed to “expel the products of conception” at home.

At present women can have abortions only in licensed clinics with doctors present.

Instead they would be given drugs such as the synthetic steroid mifepristone. One dose at a clinic starts the process, followed by a second at home 24 hours later. Dr Harris says: “This practice is safe, effective and acceptable.”

Other changes backed by Dr Harris would allow nurses, as well as doctors, to carry out abortions in clinics. He also wants abortions allowed after one doctor approves  instead of the two required now.

Nurses’ groups back the move to allow their members to carry out abortions but it is opposed by the doctors’ union, the BMA.

The amendments have a chance of becoming law because MPs are allowed a free vote on abortion.

In May the Government defeated a move, backed by Tory leader David Cameron, to reduce the abortion time limit from 24 weeks to 20.

But Mrs Dorries and other anti-abortion MPs are expected to drop another effort at cutting the limit when the Bill is debated this week.

Instead they want an official inquiry to look at the issue and report back to Parliament.

The UK has the most abortions per head of population in Europe, except for Ukraine.

There are 200,000 a year carried out in England and Wales.

by Gabriel Milland

Source > Daily Express | oct 20