27 June 2008

The Future of Abortion

Opening the BPAS conference in London on 25 June, Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo announced a new allocation of £6 million towards sexual health provision in further education sites over three years.

In her speech, Ms Primarolo also:

  • Affirmed the government’s view that the Abortion Act is working as intended, and recognised BPAS’ role in lobbying Parliament as the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill goes to report stage;

  • Noted that early medical abortions (EMA) carried out in community medical settings are safe, effective and acceptable, and confirmed that the government will l be seeking views on a draft protocol with service providers and users before moving ahead with extending EMA provision;

  • Discussed plans is for a project linking abortion services to Long Acting Reversible Contraception.

    The full transcript of the Minister’s speech can be read here.

    Also at the BPAS conference, the presentation by James Trussell, Professor of Professor of Economics and Public Affairs and Director of the Office of Population Research at the University of Princeton in the USA, on unintended pregnancy and contraceptive failure generated considerable press coverage. James Trussell said:

    ‘Reducing unintended pregnancy is an important public health goal. In the UK any significant reduction would require significantly increased use of highly-effective long-acting reversible contraceptives (intrauterine contraception and implants) that do not require the user’s ongoing attention to adherence. These modern “fit and forget” methods are popular with people who use them, and have been promoted across the health service, which is a good first step.’

    His research was reported in the Daily Telegraph under the headline ‘“Contraceptive Pill is outdated and does not work well”, expert warns’.  Further coverage appeared in The Times (London), the Daily Mail, LifeNews, and Fresh News (India).

    On the issue of early medical abortion, an international panel of doctors confirmed that the drugs used in EMA could be safely prescribed to women to take at home, in line with the practice of several other countries.

    Dr Mitchell Creinin, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, said:

    ‘It’s interesting that the UK leads the world in a lot of areas but it’s mind-boggling that the UK still has this paternalistic law. The current system involved incredible cost resources, but there are at least 10 studies that show that EMA can be done safely and effectively by women at home. The whole idea that British women need to be studied to see if it can be done is insulting. It implies that women and their doctors in this country are stupid and I’m sure that’s not the case.’

    Ann Furedi, chief executive of BPAS, said an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, allowing GPs to prescribe women both drugs at the same time, would be discussed Parliament early next month. She commented:

    ‘The organisation of early medical abortion services should be shaped by good clinical practice and not by political caution. The current abortion law, which requires the necessary medication to be prescribed and administered in specially licensed premises, is unjustifiable and senseless. In many cases it causes women additional unnecessary expense and inconvenience and can delay some women at what is already an emotional time.

    ‘Women are quite capable of taking medication according to directions. Service providers are quite capable of giving appropriate out-of-hours support. International experience shows that these barriers can be safely removed to make earlier abortions as accessible as possible to women.’

    Media attention at the BPAS conference was also given to the issue of repeat abortion, and the expansion of nurses’ role in providing early abortion.

    The BPAS conference ‘The Future of Abortion: Controversies and Care’ took place in Westminster on 25-26 June 2008. The programme and speaker biographies can be viewed on the conference website.

    Follow the links below to see some more press coverage:

    Anti-abortion campaigns ‘encourage terminations’. Sunday Telegraph, 22 June 2008

    Row As Abortions Increase. Staff Nurse, 23 June 2008

    Women offered ‘home’ abortions. Sunday Express, 22 June 2008

    Push for women to carry out early medical abortions at home. Practice Nurse, 26 June 2008

    Nurses ‘may carry out abortions’ following Parliamentary debate. GP Newspaper, 26 June 2008

    Why is Britain teetering on the verge of becoming the abortion capital of the world? Healthcare Republic, 25 June 2008

    ‘Contraceptive Pill is outdated and does not work well’, expert warns. Daily Telegraph, 26 June 2008

    The Pill ‘has had its day as an effective contraceptive’. The Times (London), 26 June 2008

    It’s time to ditch the ‘outdated’ Pill, women told. Daily Mail, 26 June 2008

    Call to encourage LARC use ahead of the Pill. GP magazine, 26 June 2008

    Pill is ‘leading to more pregnancies’. Irish Independent - front page

    The Pill is an outdated method of contraception, says expert. Thaindian News (Thailand), 26 June 2008

    The Pill is an outdated method of contraception, says expert. The Cheers magazine, Estonia

    Abortion laws slammed by experts. Pulse magazine, 27 June 2008