Abortion in Scotland

[Andrewofgg]

See this

www.independent.co.uk/news/womens-rights-in-scotland-under-threat-by-conservative-governments-decision-to-devolve-abortion-laws-a6700866.html

Scottish MNers: is it likely that an SNP Parliament would cut back on abortion rights in Scotland?

What the nurses told me when I was in the hospital last week, is that whilst it is legal here for a woman to terminate a pg up to 24 weeks, there are (apparently) no healthcare providers who will carry out this service. This is not to say there are no doctors who will carry out the service, but no health boards. Perhaps this is due to funding restrictions (health is a devolved matter and perhaps the Scottish Govt don't feel that this is an area which requires funding compared with things that affect larger numbers of people such as heart disease / public health etc). Who knows, but I'd say any debate on abortion is a good thing, if only to remind people that there IS a choice and that we are all entitled to make the right decisions for US and our families.

Lonny I completely agree, just wasn't sure if it was still the case. Sadly it doesn't seem to be.

Surely there is no way it would increase past 24 weeks

Considering the number of babies born at 24 weeks who now survive, I honestly think that would be barbaric.

I would hope to see the limit cut to a maximum of 20 weeks. That is still 5 months to make a decision. The number of doctors willing to abort at over 20 weeks must, surely, be a sign that the medical community are not widely supportive of such high cut offs.

Isn't the issue being devolved to split the pro-nationalist movement and dispel some of the 'nirvana' feelings about an independent Scotland. It seems like a political trick, since no-one else in the political firmament really cares about it as an issue.

The problem with 20 weeks is that most women have a 20 week scan. At this scan abnormalities with the foetus can be highlighted. Women have to make the heartbreaking decision wether to continue the pregnancy some of these abnormalities mean the foetus will never be viable outside its mother. Would you make women continue to carry, nurture give life to a baby for another 4-5 months that will never live. That is BARBARIC!

Sorry I should note from all the reports I have read it seems that most late abortions are carried out due to medical reasons NOT because women are flighty little creatures who can't decide if they want a child or not!

Patrick that is an extremely judgemental post.

The vast majority of the tiny number of late-stage terminations are carried out due to medical reasons. Not because women couldn't be arsed to get themselves organised to get to the clinic.

You also make the assumption most women know they are pg at 6 weeks - I certainly didn't. My '12 week scan' was actually around 22 weeks because of this. Thankfully my baby was much wanted, but my personal situation did have the ability to become a complete clusterfuck - nice to know I would have been considered 'barbaric' had I had to explore the option of termination....

It's hard to know the decision making process into an abortion post 20 weeks, especially for those of us who are mums and have had successful pregnancies. However lonny, I did put this to the hospital staff - were terminations over 20 weeks mainly due to picking up issues at the 20 week scan, and I was told apparently not - lots of issues are picked up much earlier and so people are often aware of health issues with the baby before 20 weeks, and so the number of those who discover something terrible with the baby at 20 weeks and abort is actually fairly low. From what I understood, the 24 week limit serves to protect people (like you) who discovered very late about the pregnancy and who unlike you cannot proceed with the pregnancy for a variety of reasons. It's all very sad though - whatever way you look at it. Did you know in America it is legal to abort up to 35 weeks and until 2007 it was legal to abort at birth (really - the mother goes into labour and the abortionist kills the baby on the way out) I have absolutely no idea how anyone could do that.

I think if it is devolved then it is more likely to become a political issue than if not. It seems for the UK parliament it is hardly discussed at all.

The only person in Holyrood who appears to want to discuss the issue is John Mason, SNP MSP.

Htf he got through selection unopposed I will never know, but when I put on my "democracy is actually important" hat I recognise that there are people who share his views, and those views should be heard, however much I disagree.

I doubt it'll be much of an issue, though.