MPs vote to keep at-home abortion service

MPs have voted to allow women in England to continue accessing abortion pills at home.

The service was originally launched during the coronavirus pandemic to avoid in-person appointments.

The government was ready to scrap the service and return to pre-lockdown arrangements where women would take the first pill under medical supervision.

However, MPs raised concerns it could lead to a surge in late abortions and voted to keep the amendment by a vote of 215 to 188.

The Domestic Service Retention Amendment was introduced by the House of Lords into the Government’s Health and Care Act.

Before the pandemic, women attempting an abortion under 10 weeks required face-to-face counseling at a clinic.

Medical abortions involved taking two pills – the first at the clinic, the second at home within 48 hours.

However, after the introduction of the lockdown, the rules were changed so that the counseling could take place at home, after which the woman could also take the pill at home.

Around 150,000 abortions have been performed via telemedicine in England since the pandemic began, according to clinics.

Claire Murphy, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, supported keeping the service, arguing it made it easier for vulnerable women – such as those with forced partners – to have abortions.

“These women either turn to illegal methods or they come to us very late,” Ms Murphy said.

Debating the amendment in the House of Commons Rosena Allin-Khan, Labor shadow health secretary, said that maintaining early abortion at home “has given thousands of women faster, safer and more effective access to urgent care”.

“Eliminating telemedicine abortion services would drastically limit women’s access to such an incredibly important service and will simply serve to increase subsequent abortions.”

Labor MP Jess Phillips said women can be trusted to make their own decisions about healthcare.

Recalling her own abortion, the Birmingham MP Yardley said: “The worst process of having an abortion is the waiting. I had made a decision about what I was going to do with my body. I had hit it the second I saw I was pregnant on a pregnancy test because I am a grown woman fully capable of handling my own body and knowing my own mind.

“This is how we should treat every woman in this country.”

Conservative Fiona Bruce opposed the change, saying allowing home abortions has created “a number of deeply concerning, indeed unacceptable, health and safety risks for women and girls in this country”.

She said several women had required hospital treatment at home after taking an abortion pill because they exceeded the safe limit of nine weeks and six days.

Conservative Caroline Johnson, who also opposed the change, asked MPs: “Do we want to make things more convenient for the majority of women, or do we want to protect the women who are most vulnerable, most marginalized and most vulnerable? “