Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
A senior obstetrician has raised concerns that some women in Wales may face the distressing prospect of continuing unwanted pregnancies due to insufficient access to surgical abortion services. Dr. Ed Dorman, who regularly treats Welsh women at a British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) clinic in London, highlighted the “unknown number” of women who are left with little choice but to carry their pregnancies to term.
Women in Wales reportedly encounter additional “trauma” because they must travel to England for abortion care after 18 weeks of pregnancy, BBC Wales has learned. While abortion is legally permitted up to 24 weeks in Wales, England, and Scotland with the consent of two doctors, there remain significant challenges in accessing local services. The Welsh government has acknowledged these barriers and stated it is collaborating with NHS Wales to improve the availability of surgical abortion care within Wales.
The majority of abortions—around 90%—are medical, involving the use of medication at home. Beyond 10 weeks of pregnancy, women may undergo either medical abortions in a clinical setting or opt for surgical procedures, which can offer quicker recovery. However, Dr. Jane Dickson, representing the British Society of Abortion Care Providers (BSACP) in Wales, explained that surgical abortions are scarcely available locally. This scarcity forces many women to travel across the border to England. Furthermore, she pointed to widespread conscientious objection among Welsh healthcare staff, who may refuse to participate in abortion care for moral or religious reasons, exacerbating access issues.
Dr. Dorman discussed the hardships faced by women who manage to travel for care. He described the added burden of arranging travel, accommodation, and enduring time away from their support systems as “really hard.” He expressed concern for those who cannot make the journey, fearing they might be compelled to continue pregnancies in challenging circumstances. BPAS estimates that approximately 175 women from Wales travel annually to England for surgical abortions. The closure of BPAS’s Cardiff clinic, which previously served pregnancies up to 18 weeks, has increased the burden, as women beyond this stage must now seek care in England.
Delays linked to conscientious objection have also caused serious problems. According to Dr. Dickson, some women have experienced lengthy postponements due to staff refusing involvement in care. She recounted cases where a woman’s treatment was delayed by six weeks because of pregnancy abnormalities and another who decided to keep her pregnancy because she couldn’t afford to travel to England for an abortion appointment. The Abortion Act 1967 allows healthcare workers to refuse involvement in abortion procedures on moral or religious grounds, except in emergencies to save life or prevent serious harm. However, Dickson emphasized that conscientious objection in Wales is pervasive and often leads to operational barriers, such as limited access to operating theatres or support staff.
The difficulty in securing dedicated funding for abortion services—since abortion care budgets are not separately ring-fenced—adds to the problem, Dickson noted. She insisted that access to abortion care is a basic healthcare requirement that must be ensured, given it has been legal for six decades. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) echoed these sentiments, describing abortion as essential healthcare that must be accessible regardless of where a woman lives in Wales. Melanie Tipples, the RCOG vice president for education, called for investment in training and staffing to deliver these services locally while affirming that healthcare workers’ rights to object should never block access to safe and timely care.
A spokesperson for the Welsh government emphasized its commitment to enabling women to access essential healthcare close to home. They mentioned that improving abortion services has been made a priority under this year’s strengthened women’s health plan, led by the deputy minister for women’s health
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.