Catholic Medical Quarterly Volume 75(3) August 2025
Decriminalizing abortion
Dr Adrian Treloar
In the midst of the debate upon Assisted Dying amendments to the Crime
and Policing Act were tabled that decriminalise abortion. When passed,
this will mean that it is not a crime for a woman to procure an abortion
if she is more than 24 weeks, or to procure abortion pills by phone if she
is more than 12 weeks pregnant.
Two amendments that proposed extreme changes to abortion legislation were tabled to the Crime and Policing Bill.
MPs, Tonia Antoniazzi and Stella Creasy, tabled amendments that change the law so it will no longer be illegal for women to administer their own abortions right through to birth.[1] Both these amendments will not only lead to an increased number of babies’ lives being ended beyond the current 24-week time limit, but would also likely lead to serious risks to women’s health because of the dangers involved with self-administered late-term abortions.
In an open letter to MPs doctors wrote that rather than changing the law in this way, MPs ought to reinstate in-person medical appointments in order to accurately assess a woman’s gestational age, any health risks and the possibility of coercion before abortion pills can be prescribed. Doctors wrote the following:
Dear Members of Parliament,
We are writing as medical professionals to express our grave concerns with Tonia Antoniazzi and Stella Creasy’s amendments (New Clauses 1 and 201) to the Crime and Policing Bill that would change the law so it would no longer be illegal for women to administer their own abortions right through to birth. Instead of supporting these amendments, we urge MPs to protect women by reinstating in-person appointments before abortion pills may be prescribed in order to accurately assess a woman’s gestational age, health risks and the risk of coercion.
If offences that make it illegal for a woman to administer her own abortion at any gestation were repealed, such abortions would, de facto, become possible up to birth for any reason including abortions for sex-selective purposes, as women could, mistakenly, knowingly or under coercion, mislead abortion providers about their gestational age. If either of these amendments were to become law, it would also likely lead to serious risks to women’s health because of the dangers involved with self-administered late abortions.
A November 2023 government review of abortion complications in England from 2017 to 2021 found that the complication rate for medical abortions that happen in a clinical setting is 160 times higher for abortions at 20 weeks and over compared with medical abortions under 10 weeks.[2] The complication rate is likely to be far higher for women administering their own abortions at home without medical supervision well beyond the current 24-week time limit.
Quite aside from the increased number of viable babies’ lives being ended beyond the 24-week time limit, there would likely be a significant increase in such complications if Tonia Antoniazzi or Stella Creasy’s amendments were to pass as they would remove any legal deterrent against women administering their own abortions late in pregnancy. The current law permits flexibility and compassion where necessary but, for these reasons, we believe a legal deterrent remains important.
Rather than making matters worse by passing either of these amendments, as medical professionals, we, the undersigned, call on MPs to vote against New Clauses 1 and 20. We also urge Parliament to reinstate in-person appointments before women may be prescribed abortion pills in order to accurately assess their gestational age and health. This is an important part of safeguarding (to protect against coerced abortion) and would enable healthcare professionals to ensure that abortion pills are only prescribed in cases when it is both medically and legally compliant to do so.
Yours sincerely,
Reference
- HC, ‘Crime and Policing Bill (Amendment Paper)’
- Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, ‘Complications from abortions in England, 2017 to 2021’, https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/complications-from-abortions-in-england-2017-to-2021
The two key amendments that decrimialise abortion did indeed pass with huge majorities. But an amendment that sought to protect women by requiring a face to face consultation before pills are posted out to patients was defeated. The unborn child is even more vulnerable than ever before as a result of these changes. Which is, of course, terrible news for unborn children.
June brought devastating setbacks for vulnerable people in our country. The work of protecting people, especially the unborn, the very sick and elderly must be redoubled. Never have a Catholic voices been so needed in healthcare.A new pro-life medical professionals group, Healthcare for Both Lives, has just launched. If you would like to receive updates from this group, contact Right to Life.