Northern Ireland abortion proposals ‘put vulnerable women and girls at grave risk’

Exclusive: 'Regulations recriminalise something that has already been decriminalised,' says doctor

The termination of pregnancies became legal in October after MPs in Westminster voted by a landslide in July to give women the right to abortion (Getty/iStock)

Northern Ireland’s newly proposed abortion rules are not “fit for purpose” and will put vulnerable women and girls at grave risk, campaigners have warned.

The termination of pregnancies became legal in October after MPs in Westminster voted by a landslide in July to give women the right to abortion – marking an end to the procedure being banned in almost all circumstances, even rape and incest.

But doctors say government officials have told them measures now under consideration would mean women can only have an abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Women would only be allowed a termination past the 12-week mark if they can prove their mental or physical health is at risk, according to campaigners.

Alliance for Choice, a leading campaign group for abortion rights in Northern Ireland, said women seeking abortions after 12 weeks will have to get sign off from two health professionals who are in turn punishable by a £5,000 fine or even a criminal record if they break this rule or any other element of the guidelines.

Danielle Roberts, a spokesperson for the organisation, said: “Requiring the certification of two healthcare professionals means people in rural areas may have to travel long distances to find a second person to certify. The suggested introduction of criminal sanctions of a level five fine would result in a criminal record and doctors would be likely to be struck off. The risk of criminalisation is a deterrent and is punitive.

“After 12 weeks someone has to justify their reasons to two healthcare professionals, this is potentially very traumatic. People who are pregnant as a result of domestic violence or sexual crime often present later in their pregnancy, this can be for various reasons such as a controlling partner who restricts their movements, or dealing with the traumatic event.

“While teenage girls are less likely to know they are pregnant, due to irregular periods or not being familiar with their bodies. Continuing with pregnancy can have a physical impact if your body is not ready. Abortion rights are human rights and these regulations don’t deliver.”

Ms Roberts said UK Department of Health figures show women aged under 20 would be disproportionately affected by the proposals. Women in that age group are more likely to seek abortions after 20 weeks for reasons which range from being less likely to notice they are pregnant to being anxious about their parent’s reactions.

Ms Roberts, who noted there is a large rural population in Northern Ireland, argued the rules under consideration put vulnerable women and girls at risk and could also flout international human rights standards and recommendations from Westminster’s Women and Equalities commission.

While abortion within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy has been legal in England, Wales and Scotland for decades, it remained banned in Northern Ireland in almost all circumstances until October last year and women seeking a termination could face life imprisonment.

Leanne Morgan, the co-chair of Doctors for Choice Northern Ireland and an obstetrician for 10 years, said: “The framework presented to us is not aligned with best practice. There are no medical or ethical grounds for having an arbitrary limit of 12 weeks. Having that limit and also the threat of a criminal record puts too many barriers in the way of abortion.

“Particularly in the context of Northern Ireland where medical professionals have already been very fearful of giving abortions. We had one of the strictest abortion bans in the world. The regulations recriminalise something that has already been decriminalised.”

Before last year’s law change, abortion was only permitted in Northern Ireland when a woman’s life was at risk or if she faced a permanent threat to her mental or physical health.

Only eight legal abortions were carried out in Northern Ireland last year following year-on-year falls since 2013 – which campaigners said were triggered by new guidelines emphasising the criminality of health professionals delivering abortions.

After abortion was decriminalised in the autumn, a consultation period was launched to determine how abortion services will be implemented from 31 March – the date at which the UK government is legally required to have put in place guidelines for free, safe, legal and local abortion services.

Emma Campbell, co-chair of Alliance for Choice, dismissed the proposed regulations on abortion as “not fit for purpose” and argued they would force women to buy pills online.

Ms Campbell, who has worked in abortion rights in Northern Ireland for a decade, said: “Frontline service providers and campaigners are frustrated they are set to use such an out of date law. There is evidence of 12 or 13-year-old rape victims in Northern Ireland who do not realise they are pregnant until 20 weeks.

“Quite a few of them have not had a period. Also there is shame about reporting and sometimes incidents involve family members so they do not want to get police involved.”

Her campaign group launched a T-shirt campaign in collaboration with Shado, an intersectional feminist multimedia platform, and artist Natalie Byrne to raise awareness of abortion rights in Northern Ireland.

A spokesperson for the UK government said: “The government will shortly lay regulations in parliament and publish its response to the consultation on the new abortion framework for Northern Ireland.

“This framework will ensure that the health and safety of women and girls, as well as clarity and certainty for the medical profession, are paramount when accessing lawful abortion services in Northern Ireland.