DIY abortions ‘unsafe’ and sometimes ‘illegal’, investigation reveals

Abortion giants are not carrying out basic checks before administering DIY abortion pills, which could lead to illegal abortions, an investigation has found.

As part of its coronavirus measures, the Government changed the law to permit women up to ten weeks pregnant to take abortion pills at home after a telephone or e-consultation with a doctor.

Eight women contacted commercial abortionists BPAS and Marie Stopes UK, posing as someone seeking an abortion. All of the women later received the drugs in the post, despite seven of them reportedly providing false information.

‘Chilling’

Seven of the women used false names, dates of birth and gestational dates, to see if it would be possible to obtain home abortion pills. But the investigators claim little or no attempt was made to check their details.

One caller changed the length of her pregnancy from nine weeks to seven weeks during the call itself.

Kevin Duffy, a former Director of Marie Stopes International, who led the investigation, said: “The investigation clearly demonstrates that abortion at home by pills-by-post, is not safe, and on many occasions it oversteps legal boundaries without any proper scrutiny.”

Christian Concern commissioned the investigation. Its Chief Executive Andrea Williams said the “undercover operation has exposed the dangers to vulnerable women as a result of the change in the law” and “has exposed the chilling disregard for proper process at the heart of the abortion industry”.

Legal challenge

Last week, the Court of Appeal granted a judicial review challenging the current law permitting home abortions.

Lawyers appealed a previous High Court ruling, arguing that only Parliament has the authority to change the law on where abortions can take place and that it cannot be changed via Government guidance.

During lockdown, an unborn baby died after a mother illegally took home abortion pills while 28 weeks pregnant. The mother was four weeks beyond the 24-week limit for most abortions in the UK.