If they have committed a crime, yes of course. I don't believe in creating 'special' categories of people who are immune from safeguarding, etc.
My dad still cooks better than me and he's 71
Relatively new here so an introduction.
This came up in a different and unrelated post.
I may be missing something here, but based on the info I can find is that the changes to the act are primarily around decriminalising the act of abortion.
I can find nothing that states that abortions will be freely carried out in the UK after 24 weeks and that the ONLY exceptions to this are severe disabilities of the baby or significant fear of death to either mother or baby. I believe there maybe a clause covering rape and invest too.
I’m pro-choice, I don’t think it’s up to anyone else to decide that’s it’s OK to force ANY woman to have a baby and then to give it up for adoption.
I strongly object to the term “murder” being used to describe the act of having a pregnancy terminated. Most women who choose to abort their pregnancies do so in the very early stages and their reasons are varied and entirely their business.
Our social services can barely cope with the children currently under child protection or in care.
If they have committed a crime, yes of course. I don't believe in creating 'special' categories of people who are immune from safeguarding, etc.
You disagree with women not being arrested and sent to prison? You think they should be?
Galaxy
I am able to pay attention to a wide range of issues, I can think about the situation in Iran and what to have for tea, people asking questions about a change in regard to decriminalisation does not make things worse for children who are neglected. In fact many of the people raising concerns are those who have been involved in safeguarding all their lives.
No I meant in general, within society, not here Galaxy 
I am able to pay attention to a wide range of issues, I can think about the situation in Iran and what to have for tea, people asking questions about a change in regard to decriminalisation does not make things worse for children who are neglected. In fact many of the people raising concerns are those who have been involved in safeguarding all their lives.
There are always going to be exceptions, resulting in awful events, however medical science has to look at the bigger picture and the rights and protection of the majority of women, most of whom wouldn’t lie about their pregnancy progressions, who wouldn’t abort based on sex, who wouldn’t obtain pills by post by deception.
The exceptions can always be quoted and everything possible should be done to safeguard and prevent situations like this recurring.
However, imo, this should never ever be done to the detriment of the majority of responsible women.
I’d far rather see the same attention given to those families where children are neglected, damaged, hurt or killed on a weekly basis.
I’ve never terminated a pregnancy, I don’t know if I ever would have done, but I’d never let my own personal experiences or feelings prevent another woman making a different choice.
As mentioned in my previous post, pills by post were only meant to be used during covid. Another concern is the danger to the mother if aborting at home, especially if for whatever reason, in the last 3 months of the pregnancy. Though rare, there is greater risk of hemorrhage than with a
procedural abortion. Also will the mother be medically checked to ascertain if the abortion is complete or infection could occur I believe?
I’ve always been very much pro choice, and still am, but was still pretty much appalled at the friend of a dd who aborted a 3rd baby, once she’d found out at a scan that it was a 3rd boy. 😰
She’d have kept a girl.
Yes, I know, her choice and all that, but….
Sex selection is also a real problem. Tends to be girls that are unwanted.
There is also the question as to what protects women in cases of coercion due to the decriminalisation. I have always had concerns about the 'pills by post' without medical oversight, I think it was only meant to be a temporary measure during Covid.
Cold
89% of abortions are before week 9
93% by week 12
Around 1% are performed after week 20 - usually after a severe anomaly is discovered and investigated after the 20 scan - abortions after 22 weeks are very rare and are only allowed in very limited circumstances of severe disability/life of mother at risk
I knew someone who had a late abortion in the 1980s baby had very severe abnormalities incompatible with life - no separate legs and part of skull missing. Are people really suggesting that she should have been forced to carry the baby to term?
Thank you Cold for the statistics and for the late abortion.
I’m relieved that women have choice. Late abortion are rare
'Abortion is a criminal offence under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. The 1967 Abortion Act carves out an exception to that, subject to conditions, generally up to 24 weeks. That criminal framework applies to doctors, to third parties, and to the woman herself. What Clause 208 does is abolish this last element.
What now protects the life of a baby at 30 weeks gestation? At 34? Before last Wednesday, the answer was the criminal law. After Royal Assent, the answer will be nothing.
The pills-by-post scheme gives this reality teeth. Since 2020, women have been able to have mifepristone and misoprostol posted to them after a phone call in which they state how far along they are. No scan. No examination. Nobody checks. The pills are approved for home use up to 10 weeks. When a woman takes them further along in her pregnancy, she faces delivering her baby, either stillborn or alive, alone at home with heightened risk of serious complication.
None of this is speculative. Carla Foster got pills by post by saying she was 7 weeks pregnant. She was over 32 weeks. She delivered a dead baby at home. This isn’t just bad for babies, it’s bad for women. FOI data from six ambulance services showed a 64% rise in emergency call-outs linked to abortion pills. Separate research projected over 10,000 women needed hospital treatment after taking pills at home in a single year.And yet Baroness Stroud’s amendment to bring back in-person consultations for abortion pillswas voted down 191 to 119.
Pills by post was supposed to be a temporary Covid measure.'
Quoted from Robert Clarke a barrister.
Perhaps Clause 208 needs further consideration rather than just 46 minutes of Commons debate?
Pro choice, pro this protective law.
I think very few women would go through a late abortion without a very good reason.
Years ago, before we had scans a friend of mine gave birth to her first baby. He was born without a functioning brain and was in hospital for six weeks before he died. If she had been able to know about his condition beforehand I'm sure she would rather have had even a late abortion rather than endure those six weeks.
Etoile2701
Allsorts
I think it is murder killing a 24 week old fully formed child. That is just my opinion. Not for any religeous reason. Not wanting a child isn't a reason, if it's for severe health reason that's different but I would still have it.
I totally agree. I think it is murder. A baby can live at 24 weeks.
Let's be honest - the vast majority of babies aborted after 20 weeks (around 1% of the total) are because of severe abnormalities or because the mother is at risk of dying.
Let us not forget the death of Savita Halappanavar who died in Ireland because strict abortion limits meant doctors were unable to terminate a (much wanted) pregnancy that she was miscarrying to save her life because the foetus still had a heartbeat. By the time the foetal heartbeat stopped it was too late for the mother who died of sepsis.
www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-20321741
89% of abortions are before week 9
93% by week 12
Around 1% are performed after week 20 - usually after a severe anomaly is discovered and investigated after the 20 scan - abortions after 22 weeks are very rare and are only allowed in very limited circumstances of severe disability/life of mother at risk
I knew someone who had a late abortion in the 1980s baby had very severe abnormalities incompatible with life - no separate legs and part of skull missing. Are people really suggesting that she should have been forced to carry the baby to term?
Allsorts
I think it is murder killing a 24 week old fully formed child. That is just my opinion. Not for any religeous reason. Not wanting a child isn't a reason, if it's for severe health reason that's different but I would still have it.
If that meant a brief life of torment, pain and misery for the child?
Iam64
Tenko, there are also many women who had terminations and remain relieved
I’m sure there are . I’m just relating to my experiences .
I remember watching someone die at Dignitas on TV. There's a reason why no TV station has ever shown what happens in an abortion. It's too traumatic to watch - obviously more traumatic than watching someone end their own life.There were 300,000 to 307,000 abortions in the UK in 2024. I cannot believe these were all to do with incest or failed contraception. A woman has the right to choose what happens to her own body. But should she have the right to decide on what happens to another one?
Shouldn't a human, developing baby deserve protection rather than killing?
Essexgirl145
Should always be the choice of the female, but not past 12 weeks, that's plenty of time to make the decision.
I’ve never had a termination, my choice, however my first pregnancy went undetected for 16 weeks, due to my very unpredictable periods and unstable weight, during this time I was working in London and drinking almost every night.
When I discovered my pregnancy I was horrified, but went ahead with fear and trepidation that I might have damaged my unborn fetus. Thank goodness he was born a little early but fine!!
Frannygranny
As the product of an unplanned and extremely unwanted pregnancy I was an unloved child which has brought many problems throughout my life. When my contraception failed and I became pregnant again after having my two very wanted and loved children my DH and I took the very difficult decision to terminate my pregnancy. It was a decision I regretted having to take but knew within myself I would have had similar problems relating to the child as my mother did to me. I could not inflict that on anyone. All women should be supported in their choice.
🥀
Iam64
Granny granny 💐
Thank you. 🩷
Exactly.
Granny granny 💐
As the product of an unplanned and extremely unwanted pregnancy I was an unloved child which has brought many problems throughout my life. When my contraception failed and I became pregnant again after having my two very wanted and loved children my DH and I took the very difficult decision to terminate my pregnancy. It was a decision I regretted having to take but knew within myself I would have had similar problems relating to the child as my mother did to me. I could not inflict that on anyone. All women should be supported in their choice.
Mother :- My body my choice.
Baby :- My life no choice.
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