British Section of the World Federation of Doctors Who Respect Human Life

BMJ Rapid Response

By Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury,
Chair, CHOOSE LIFE
18 Chelsea Square, London SW3 6LF

One of the best-kept secrets of the past thirty-five years is that many women having abortions would actually prefer to give birth.

The recent survey of opinion carried out at the request of CHOOSE LIFE by Communication Research illustrated the part played by others in the decision to terminate a pregnancy, which is supposed to be the woman’s own choice.

An accepted belief, backed by successive Governments, has been that opting for abortion in difficult circumstances is the “responsible” decision. It is an unpleasant fact that most counsellors involved in the abortion business do not encourage the woman to keep her baby or offer help.

This attitude probably dates back to the Overpopulation scare of the 1960’s, and it is time for a change.

Eighty-five per cent of women want to see more help given to women who want to keep their baby, rather than further moves to make abortion easier. Eighty –seven percent think public funds should go to charities offering alternatives. Seventy-eight percent would like to see a compulsory cooling-off period between diagnosis of pregnancy and a termination, which is in direct opposition to the apparent official policy of “abort early and often,” with backing for RU 486 abortions at home.

Ninety-six percent of women want a right to be fully informed of the health risks involved in abortion. Eighty-four percent believe parents of girls under 16 should have the right to know if their daughter has been referred for a termination.

Present Government policy is inhumane, and is disliked by a large majority of women.