UK study into home abortion finds signs of success

A pilot study into whether women could have abortions at home, backed by the Department of Health, has shown early signs of success. 

The Department of Health-backed project found that women less than 9 weeks pregnant can safely have the medical abortion outside hospital. None of the 172 women, who took tablets supervised by a nurse in a health centre, suffered serious complications. The pilot could pave the way for women to have abortions at home, in GPs’ surgeries and in family planning clinics.

Shirley Butler, who manages the pilot project, told Nursing Standard: ‘This has been a successful pilot and it has proved that abortion is safe outside a hospital. We have had few problems. Some women experienced pain and they were given painkillers. One woman had haemorrhaging, but if she had been at home she would have called our helpline and she would have been given help.’ Anne Weyman, chief executive of fpa, said: ‘It’s very encouraging that this pilot study has been so successful. Medical abortion is a highly safe and effective procedure, and completing the second stage at home can provide greater comfort and privacy. It also reduces the number of visits needed to a clinic and is already common practice in a number of countries, including the United States.’

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: ‘All abortions are currently carried out in an NHS hospital or an approved independent sector place. No changes to the way abortions are carried out will be approved unless we are content that there is no risk to the women’s safety and we have determined what a “class of place” should be.’ The spokeswoman added that pilots of medical abortions in settings other than hospitals were on-going.

Study finds home abortion ‘safe’, BBC, 15 February 2006

See also: DIY abortions at home condemned by family groups, Daily Telegraph, 17 February 2006