Feminism: chat
NHS service failures leading to forced pregnancies
NumberTheory · 03/11/2021 18:40
Independent reporting that women are being forced to continue with unwanted pregnancies because of problems with access to contraception and abortion services.
Under investment in the NHS is just stacking problems on top of problems.
halloweenie13 · 05/11/2021 03:58
Back in 2019 I got pregnant in an abusive relationship, I begged for help from GP, Contraception services, etc. but no-one would help me ( this was in Leicester) I ended up getting referred for pregnancy complications mid way, twins, quite obviously deceased, it really traumatised me. I was given only one scan, no-one was nice during this situation, I pretended to be ok with it but I still long for children even to this day.
Mymapuddlington · 05/11/2021 12:39
It doesn’t but is it fair for the nhs to pick up the slack when a lot of women don’t take precautions?
I have had a termination. It was horrific. Im not against it at all but I know a few women who ‘get caught up in the moment’ but don’t worry because they’ll ‘get rid’. If condoms and morning after pills were used then the genuine women who have fallen pregnant despite precautions or due to rape etc can access safe abortions early and with the right support in place.
EmbarrassingHadrosaurus · 05/11/2021 12:48
I don't know the circumstances of the women having these continued pregnancies but I'd be concerned that some of them will encounter wretched problems if the 2 child benefit limit affects them.
cpag.org.uk/topic/two-child-limit
SusannaRowan · 05/11/2021 12:51
I don't know any woman who has a cavalier attitude to abortion, though I've no doubt some do exist. I'm so sorry you had such a dreadful experience, it should obviously never be the first resort. I have taken the MAP and have no idea how I would have coped if it hadn't worked.
But unfortunately there are immature teens who take risks, women who make poor judgement calls, women who are coerced and raped and those who are just foolish. A million and one reasons really, but none are an excuse to limit abortion (even if it's not intentional). It's a slippery slope to no abortion at all.
myheartskippedabeat · 05/11/2021 12:57
You cannot blame the NHS for un-wanted pregnancies it's down to people to take necessary precautions it's 2021 not 1921!
All services not just abortion clinics have been affected due to the pandemic and people are working hard to get things going again but to blame them is just a bit much
No stories saying "nhs being blamed for people not having hip replacements" which also happens
People need to take responsibility for their bodies
If however people have had traumatic experiences such as a rape etc.... relationship breakdown and an abortion is the way forward for them then that's a different matter
Kotatsu · 05/11/2021 13:06
I've had an abortion, and the morning after pill. I'd say that I had longer-term effects from the morning after pill personally.
Both times it was entirely accidental due to contraception failure, not that that matters.
The cold fact is, that not only is this damaging for the women who needed to access the contraception/termination services, but also for the NHS - having a baby is far more resource hungry than a termination or contraception.
I've had this discussion before - society is infinitely better off when women can freely access healthcare which reduces the number of unwanted pregnancies.
RobotValkyrie · 05/11/2021 19:03
Also let's not forget that an abortion, as a medical procedure, can be life-saving, and continuing with a pregnacy, life-threatening, and at the very least life-altering.
It's not just a matter of "inconvenience" or "lifestyle choices" or whatever other misogynistic minimising nonsense. Legal abortions in Great Britain are all about medical need.
Theunamedcat · 05/11/2021 19:15
During the pandemic they stopped giving the depo injection they told friend she could go on the pill except she cannot because she has no intestine any pill she takes ends up in her bag so she asked what about a coil? No what about the implant? No the condoms they used? one split she got lucky and wasn't pregnant can they please give her the jab? No they offered to give her partner the snip because apparently the NHS still offered this 🙄 they wouldn't sterilise her though I mean
they need to go in and untwist what's left of her insides can they not wack a couple of clips on while they are at it? No it would be medically extremely dangerous for her to have another pregnancy at this point they know an injection would prevent this and refuse to give it to her 🤷♂️
What did the men say, out of interest?halloweenie13 · 05/11/2021 19:44
@Mymapuddlington
For my pregnancy I was on the pill which failed me and didn't find out until 6 weeks in of which no services would help me, I was just put on waiting lists and delays, I asked for an abortion and was told to wait, they ended up putting me at risk by me waiting til midway in the pregnancy to even assess me and give me a scan.
gogohm · 05/11/2021 19:59
Contraceptives are widely available for free, yes there was issues with implants and other long lasting contraception during the early days of the pandemic but comdoms and oral contraceptives were still options and there's no issues now, dd had an implant recently. I can't comment on nhs funded abortion services everywhere but I know someone who had one in April 2020, pills
MilduraS · 05/11/2021 20:44
The NHS started offering the abortion pill by post because of the pandemic which I think was brilliant. I had to use the GUM clinic a few months ago because I was having such difficulty getting an appointment with my GP. My appointment wasn't birth control related but it wasn't an emergency and I was still seen within 2 weeks. I don't think the problem is access but more the knowledge of where to accessZ
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