Pregnant women in Northern Ireland are not being offered early screening for foetal abnormalities, including Patau, Edwards’ and Down’s syndrome, according to gynaecology experts who warn that this is tantamount to discrimination. Screening for such conditions in the first trimester is routine in the rest of the UK, but early detection is not routinely offered to pregnant women in Northern Ireland. At the moment, antenatal screening which tests for anomalies is offered in Northern Ireland to all pregnant women during their second trimester. Usually this is not prior to 20 weeks of pregnancy, which means that by the time foetal abnormalities are detected, it is often too late to perform a termination.
The Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG) has stated that late diagnosis in Northern Ireland affects the way that women manage their pregnancies. Northern Ireland is therefore being urged to introduce earlier scans, with some medical practitioners arguing that women in the country are being “discriminated against”. Previously, several patients, who contacted BBC News NI, described the trauma they experienced after their pregnancies were discovered to be “non-viable” until around 20 weeks.
A new framework for abortion services in Northern Ireland was drawn up by the Northern Ireland Office and took effect in March 2020. The legal framework meant there was no time limit for terminations when there was a “substantial risk” that the foetus would suffer a severe mental or physical impairment. However, campaigners are calling for earlier scans to become more widely available for pregnant women throughout Northern Ireland as a preventative measure in order to address the very problem highlighted by the new legislation.
Stigma surrounding abortion is still very much present in Northern Ireland, which often prevents couples and families from talking openly about their experiences. In order to address the root causes of the problem, campaigners are calling for earlier scans to become a funded initiative in Northern Ireland. At present, official guidance in Northern Ireland confirms that scans designed to detect abnormalities are only carried out during the second trimester. However, the department has acknowledged that work is currently ongoing in order to determine the budget and the time required to introduce recommendations on “first trimester antenatal screening for foetal anomalies and inherited conditions”. Once this information has been collated it will be considered by the Northern Ireland Screening Committee before future policy decisions can be made
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