Abortion Services in Wales
Wales is the worst part of the UK to offer surgical abortions, with many women being treated in England, according to a leading charity in the healthcare system. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) said it was "amazing" that Wales was behind Northern Ireland, where abortion was only decriminalized in 2019.
Limited Access to Surgical Abortions
In Wales, abortion is allowed up to 24 weeks of pregnancy with the consent of two doctors. However, there is "very limited care" available after 14 weeks, partly due to a "qualification gap" and a lack of doctors. BPAS announced that Northern Ireland had now offered surgical abortions in the second trimester for more than 20 weeks, while Scotland offers services up to 20 weeks.
Women’s Experiences
A woman from South Wales, who wished to remain anonymous, shared her experience of being sent to England for a surgical abortion. She was already a mother and had experienced severe postnatal depression in the past, and therefore could not continue with the pregnancy. However, she was informed that she could not have a surgical abortion in Wales due to an existing medical condition that required general anesthesia. She was offered a trial in London, which she found "really stressful" and traumatic.
What is Surgical Abortion?
Surgical abortion involves an operation to remove pregnancy from the womb. It can be carried out with local anesthetic, conscious sedation, or general anesthesia. Medical abortions, which involve the use of drugs, account for 86% of abortions in Wales and England.
Calls for Improvement
Rachael Clarke from BPAS said that every year, around 175 women travel to England for care from Wales. She added that it was often seen as a "simple option" to send women to another service or another country instead of accessing care at home. The head of the charity emphasized that there was a dangerous qualification gap with a lack of doctors who routinely carried out surgical abortions or procedures in the middle trimester.
Women’s Health Plan for Wales
The first Women’s Health Plan for Wales, published in December last year, lists abortion as a "basic aspect" of women’s reproductive healthcare system and states that it should be available "locally and immediately for all women" to reduce "complications, distress, and costs." However, the financing and provision of services for abortion supply in the middle of the trimester is listed as a long-term goal with a period of approximately six to ten years.
Response from the Welsh Government
A spokesman for the Welsh government accepted that improvements to abortion services in the middle trimester must be made and added that women should be able to access care at home. The government is working with NHS Wales to identify and tackle the specific obstacles to the provision of surgical abortion services on-site and is examining which short-term improvements can be made while developing a robust, sustainable service for the future.
