New York City hospitals introduce DIY abortion scheme

Unsafe home abortions are now available to girls as young as 15 in New York City.

In a speech at City Hall, Mayor Eric Adams announced that the city’s Health + Hospitals network had become the country’s first public health system to allow abortion pills to be posted to women up to ten weeks pregnant after just a phone or video call with a healthcare professional. Previously, the first pill had to be taken at a medical centre.

In 2019, New York City effectively legalised abortion up to birth for any reason by permitting abortions after 24 weeks if the mother’s health is deemed to be at risk. The law also declared that all pregnant women have the “fundamental right” to an abortion.

Planned Parenthood

Following the announcement, Dr Marisa Nadas of New York City Health + Hospitals confirmed that mothers from anywhere in the US would be able to obtain abortion pills if they travelled to the city.

Wendy Stark, CEO of the Greater New York branch of abortion giant Planned Parenthood, welcomed the scheme’s introduction while announcing the launch of its own Virtual Health Center for New York State residents.

She claimed: “Health services from contraception— including emergency contraception— to gender affirming hormone therapy also under attack in our country so horrifically right now will be accessible to New Yorkers across the state with the touch of a button.”

Britain

Earlier this year, MPs called for an urgent review of DIY abortions, after a woman was able to obtain home abortion pills when she was around 33 weeks pregnant.

In a House of Commons debate following the case, several MPs backed the re-introduction of in-person consultations after Carla Foster pretended to be seven weeks pregnant in order to abort her daughter Lily.

In Britain, abortion is legal for most reasons up to 24 weeks. Temporary regulations from the coronavirus pandemic allowing women who are less than ten weeks pregnant to take abortion pills without medical supervision became permanent last year, following pressure from pro-abortion activists.