Abortion to be reduced to 20 weeks

Agree with limitedperiid

NewNames said a lot of what I said already - sorry.

I am strongly against reducing the time.

Very few abortions happen after 12 weeks as it is, and the number that take place after 20 weeks is tiny. But the people who have those abortions are often more vulnerable - they are likely to be people who did not realise they were pregnant (perhaps because they are very young, or have other health issues), or who are in abusive or controlling relationships and couldn't access advice earlier. In terms of "consequences if forced to continue the pregnancy" the women seeking late abortions could be judged to be more in need of an abortion, not less.

I would rather 100 abortions happened for "frivolous" reasons than one woman was denied an abortion that she needed.

It should be lowered. IMO.

As early as possible, as late as necessary.

YOur title reads as if this is going to happen, rather than just "someone wrote in a newspaper that they think this should happen".

I agree with sassh. I believe the present laws are correct.

I can find a kind of respect for people who say abortion is wrong in all circumstances even though I strongly disagree with them. They are being honest.

I can't respect people who weasel with exceptions - 'it's okay up to a number of weeks', 'it's okay in cases of incest or rape', 'it's okay if the woman's life is in grave danger'.

What they mean is that they oppose all abortion but want to chip away at the right so as not to frighten the rest of us. They are working towards the day when abortion is illegal.

Hypocrite much porcamisieria? Your aborted baby might have survived too you know.

And of course this is a feminist fucking issue, to suggest otherwise is completely outrageous. Not only do women carry babies but the vast majority of the time, they look after them (often solely) too.

My body, my choice.

You mention its s bad argument because of medical intervention. Dont we use medical intervention to keep people alive? Thats what it is for.

I dont see this is feminist issue at all

Its a human issue, and for a long time I have felt very uncomfotable around late abortions

and I am pro choice, and I have personally had an abortion

But I think using the argument of "womens rights" to justify killing a baby that might have survived is sick to be honest

I think the current limit is right.

Maria Miller, equalities minister. Brilliant.

Only two per cent of all abortions happen after 20 weeks.

Those having later abortions are often young, and vulnerable, disabled. They may have been in denial, their circumstances may have changed, they may have just gathered the strength to leave a violent partner, they may not have known they were pregnant or their may have been medical reasons for delaying or the waiting list may have been too long.

A massive 87 per cent are carried out under 13 weeks.

Why on earth would you want to make things more difficult for women who are already in a horrible situation?

What we should actually be doing is making it easier for women to have early abortions. At the moment, women who want to abortion pill get one and then have to go buy for another. Not everyone has a clinic around the corner. It seems ridiculous that a woman can't take both with her.

I do worry it might happen. I saw the OP said it's a telegraph headline, not policy, but I still worry, especially as she's women's minister.

She mentions the "science" in the Telegraph interview, I think she's misinformed on that, the BMA were very clear little has changed pre-23 weeks.

Just to repeat, this is not government policy. Maria Miller previously voted for a reduction to 20 weeks and was asked if she had changed her mind, she said she hadn't. The reason it's now newsworthy is she's now women's minister.

A reduction in the legal limit for abortion would almost certainly be the subject of a free vote in the House of Commons as it's an issue of conscience. If it were given government time. Which I think is unlikely. It would use up a lot of government time, and they have a lot they want to get through before the next election.

So if you're worried this will actually happen, I really wouldn't be.

Oh Christ, not this shit again.

All these lies about earlier and earlier survival rates FFS.

A women's minister who wants to reduce women's rights - I guess it makes sense in a government with a philistine for an education minister and a health minister who doesn't want to be responsible for making sure the population has access to healthcare.

Fuckers to a man or woman.

It is not ok to "kill a baby". It is ok to end a pregnancy when the alternative is unviable. Why do the rights of the foetus come before the rights of the mother, in your opinion?

Why do people think it is ok to kill a baby? It's sickening. Legal murder? Totally.

Legal murder? I don't think using sensationalist terms like 'legal murder' is particularly helpful in this argument.

I agree with LRD, I think it will disproportionately affect young women / girls who might not find out that they are pregnant until quite late, and need some time to process the information.

I also agree that we need MUCH better sex ed and provision for teens.

Yes, that's true.

Why die an unwanted child have to be a consequence of consensual sex? Suggesting that any woman who wouldn't continue a pregnancy should have sex is absurd: talk about shackles

orchid - a foetus in the womb is dependent on the mother's body, that's the difference.