The front page of the Observer took me by surprise on the 29th January this year. It featured a well balanced report on a recent MORI poll assessing public opinion of abortion.

12 weeks
12 weeks

Other recent developments suggest that a thoughtful reassessment of abortion is taking place in the public and political arena. Hopefully, pro-life groups will welcome this new dialogue and engage in it, rather than simply claim it as a political victory. Public discussion from both sides should also be sensitive to the fact that deciding to terminate a pregnancy is not an easy choice, morally or emotionally and that there may be the need for professional support afterwards.

The Observer MORI poll found that 47% of women believe that the time limit for abortion should be lowered from 24 weeks and that 10% believe abortion should be outlawed altogether.[1] In comparison, only 24% of people surveyed in a 1996 MORI poll thought that obtaining an abortion should be made more difficult.[2] Public figures have also been expressing their feelings about abortion, such as comedian Rhona Cameron on BBC One's Question Time, saying (without being booed) ". I actually hate it [abortion] as a concept."[3] and expressing concern about the rise in the number of abortions to a record 185,415 in 2004.[4]

The Rt Hon Lord David Steel, author of the 1967 Abortion Act, said he thought that the time limit should be reduced to 22 weeks.[5] A survey of politicians in June 2005 by CommunicateResearch found that 63% of MPs believed that the 24 week gestation time limit is too long and should be reduced. This is a dramatic change from July 2004 where only 37% of MPs felt that 24 weeks was too long.[6] Laurence Robertson MP introduced the Prohibition of Abortion Bill into the Commons in June 2005, seeking to make abortion illegal apart from in cases where the mother's life is under threat or the conception was caused by rape.[7] The second reading is on 10th March 2006, although whether it will progress beyond this stage remains to be seen. The US state of South Dakota has just voted by 23 votes to 12 to outlaw abortion,[8] although arguably abortion is more of a political football in the US than the UK and with a more vocal pro-life lobby.

Why has there been this shift in attitudes? An important factor has been the development of 3D and 4D foetal scanning technology that shows apparent yawns, smiles, kicks and grasping by the baby in the womb from as early as 8 weeks.[9] These scans show more visibly than ever the human characteristics of the foetus at an early age, which has lead many to re-examine at what stage they see the foetus as a child. The key to accepting abortion is to see the unborn child as an incomplete human and anything that casts doubt over that view makes abortion seem a little more murderous.

There has also been recent research in to the effects of abortion on women's mental health. A longitudinal survey conducted in Norway and completed in 2005 found that 5 years after having an abortion 20% of the women studied still felt distressed about the event, compared to 2.6% of those who had lost a child through miscarriage over the same time period. Typical symptoms were anxiety, depression, feelings of guilt, shame, relief and loss.[10] A woman might not regret her decision to have an abortion but may still experience other negative feelings. Many other studies and reports from those who counsel women following abortion back these findings.

However, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists states that there is no evidence that mental health problems are caused by abortion; rather they are often a continuation of pre-existing problems.[11] Understandably the RCOG does not want to suggest that women should feel distressed after an abortion, but this is disingenuous as patients undergoing medical procedures or even receiving over the counter medication are made aware of all possible side effects, no matter how rare. Women should, then, be warned of potential psychological effects, to inform them and to reassure them that they are not alone or abnormal if they experience distress afterwards. The RCOG does itself acknowledge the emotional distress caused by miscarriage, and although miscarriage is not the act of will that abortion is, in essence both experiences result in the loss of a child. It can therefore be expected that some similar emotions and experiences may be shared.

Are we reaching a new consensus? It seems unlikely that we are ready to head down the same path as South Dakota but it is clear that the abortion rate and its use as a means of birth control is worrying many, even those who would still 'respect the right to choose'.

[1] 'Women demand tougher laws to curb abortion'. The Observer, 29th January 2006

[2] What Women Want 1996. MORI

[3] Question Time, BBC 1. 10th November 2005

[4] Statistical Bulletin: Abortion Statistics England and Wales : 2004

[5] The Observer, 29th January 2006

[6] Alive and Kicking Poll of MPs June 2005. CommunicateResearch

[7] Prohibition of Abortion ( England and Wales ) Bill

[8] Is this the backlash against a woman's right to choose? Daily Mail 24th February 2006

[9] BBC News 28th June 2004

[10] 'The course of mental health after miscarriage and induced abortion: a longitudinal, five-year follow-up study'. BMC Medicine 12th December 2005

[11] About abortion care: what you need to know. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists 2004

This article is reproduced with permission from the Centre for Bioethics and Public Policy. CR

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.