Home abortion pill is now an option doing Coronavirus
The 31 March the UK government announced the possibility for a pregnant woman to have alternative options in these times. It is now possible for a woman to take the two abortion pills at home, instead of going to the clinic to have an abortion. The use of home abortion pills is a temporary plan, and a doctor needs to have had a conversation with the individual over the mobile phone. The new option for women has raised discussion, as there lay various options on abortion and whether the home pill is ethically right.
Over the past week’s non-profit charity supporters and campaigners like British Pregnancy Advisory Service, has been active in supporting the right to have an abortion at home.
Volunteer supporters have been very active on social media to give the dilemma and issue awareness doing these times. They have addressed Prime Minister Boris Johnson several times, in efforts to make it possible for women to take both pills at home.
” We try our very best in all areas of our work in regards to awareness. Firstly, to ensure individuals needing our services know where to find us. Also, we think it is so important to create a level of public awareness surrounding reproductive rights” Says Katie from BPAS.
Because of this awareness to the issue, the government choose to limit the risk of getting infected by avoiding woman to go to the clinic. In England, around 180.000 abortions are carried out each year, according to The Department of Health. Therefore, the new change in policy regarding abortion has made it much easier for women to have a safe home abortion.
What about Northern Ireland?
The dilemma still continues in Northern Ireland, as they normally do not carry out abortion patients are forced to travel to England to have an abortion. This law in Northern Ireland changed in October 2019 and was set to apply in society in April 2020. However, since the coronavirus situation Northern Ireland, have not established any alternative for the women.
Therefore, if the women of Northern Ireland wish to have an abortion, they are still forced to travel to England. Women of Northern Ireland have over the last couple of weeks been travelling with ferry and public transport to reach the clinics of England, in a time when governments are telling them to stay home. BPAS are sharing their concerns about women leaving their houses when governmental specifically advise everyone to stay home. BPAS is, therefore, fighting for the use of telemedicine abortion in the home space, so individuals do not need to travel the long journey.
WNOL 