Home abortions could be allowed permanently in Scotland after Covid passes
Scotland would become the first part of the UK to allow women to have early medical abortions at home after the Covid-19 threat passes, under controversial proposals published by SNP ministers.
Both the Scottish and UK governments passed emergency laws allowing pregnant women to take the two drugs required for a termination at home during the pandemic.
SNP ministers have now proposed keeping the arrangement in Scotland after the virus is no longer deemed a major risk to public health, meaning women would no longer have to attend a hospital clinic.
They opened a public consultation on making the change permanent, which stated it would be easier for women in remote areas and cited research showing the "great majority" prefer "not requiring an in person appointment and being able to stay at home."
But the document admitted that there are concerns that some women "may underestimate the gestation of their pregnancy", raising the risk women mistakenly take the pills after the 24-week legal abortion limit.
The report also warned that abolishing the need for a face-to-face appointment would make it more difficult to detect "if women are victims of domestic abuse or human trafficking."
Pro-life campaigners warned there have been cases in England of babies dying in recent months "after their mothers took the pills when months past the legal and medical limit, and abortion providers have been found to be sending out the pills without even basic checks."
An early medical abortion occurs in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, with the woman taking two pills to end the pregnancy.
The first, mifepristone, blocks the main hormone that makes the lining of the uterus suitable for the fertilised egg.
The second medication, misoprostol, causes the lining of the womb to break down and the woman to pass the pregnancy.
Until late 2017, Scottish women were required to attend a hospital clinic to take both mifepristone and a day or two later misoprostol.
The Scottish Government then changed the law to allow people to take misoprostol at home but they were still required to take mifepristone in a hospital clinic until lockdown in March.
Women wanting an abortion can now be prescribed both drugs to be taken at home following a video or telephone appointment with a doctor or nurse.
Unveiling the consultation on making this permanent, Joe FitzPatrick, the Scottish Government Public Health Minister, said: "All women in Scotland should have access to clinically safe abortion services, within the limits of the law, should they require this."
The document noted that women have been permitted to take both drugs at home in other countries "for some time."
More than 3,080 abortions at under 12 weeks gestation were conducted between April and June, it said, 60 per cent of which occurred without an "in person appointment with a doctor or nurse."
Of the latter 1855 abortions, it said there were fewer than 10 cases where "significant or potentially significant complications" might have been avoided if the woman had been seen in person or where mental health issues could have been detected.
But Michael Robinson, of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (Scotland), said: "The home abortion provision is a travesty that should never have been introduced.
"Allowing women to take powerful drugs at home, alone, with no medical supervision shows a complete lack of care and respect for women, as well as further devaluing the value of human life in the womb."
Simon Calvert, deputy director of the Christian Institute, said: "It is appalling that the Scottish Government is using the COVID crisis to push for home abortions to become the norm, depriving more women of opportunity for reflection and proper medical supervision and support.”
A spokesman for the Catholic Church said: “The drugs provided not only end the life of an unborn child but are also a risk to the health of its mother."
