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Abortion - history

Abortion - history. Abortion act 1967 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill 2008. Abortion act 1967. Provided immunity for prosecution under the Offences against the Person Act 1861 for certain categories of abortion

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Abortion - history

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  1. Abortion - history Abortion act 1967 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill 2008

  2. Abortion act 1967 • Provided immunity for prosecution under the Offences against the Person Act 1861 for certain categories of abortion • Abortion on grounds of risk to mental or physical health of mother up to 28 weeks • Abortions up to term to save life of mother

  3. 1990 HFE act • Human embryos can be frozen, experimented upon and destroyed • Door opened for pre-implantation diagnosis, therapeutic cloning, saviour siblings • “Social abortions” up to 24 weeks • Abortions for disability up to term

  4. Results of 1967 and 1990 acts • 6.8 million abortions • 2.2 million embryos destroyed

  5. HFE bill 2008 – liberalising agenda • The coalition • Prochoice MPs, Sci & Tech Cttee • Abortion ‘providers’ – FPA, MS, BPAS • Institutions – BMA, RCN, RCOG, BAPM • Trade unions • The agenda • Abortion on request up to 24 weeks • Nurse-led medical abortion at home • Excluding doctors who object from seeing patients • Extension of act to Northern Ireland

  6. Public opinion is changing • More than three-quarters of women support a reduction in the six month upper age limit • Nearly two-thirds of the public want the upper age limit reduced now • 65% of GPs support a reduction in the limit

  7. Concerns about late abortion • 100 late abortions beyond 24 weeks each year since 1991 • Recent case at 26 weeks for cleft palate • Joanna Jepson • Down’s Syndrome

  8. Links • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleft_lip_and_palate • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NcF3jUMJxk • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUKwv0YH0ZM

  9. Other factors • Abortions survivors • Neonatal survival • Foetal pain? • Health effects of abortion • European averages: • Average limit 13 weeks • 16/27 countries in Europe 12 weeks or below

  10. Alive and Kicking • 12 organisations • http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/med/study/ugr/mbchb/societies/isc/cmf/ • Agenda • Supporting amendments to HFE bill seeking • Lowering of 24 week limit • Lowering of birth upper limit for disabled babies • Fully informed consent for women • Opposing liberalising amendments

  11. Publicity • Projection onto houses of parliament • http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article396820.ece • Website with MPs database

  12. The 20 weeks campaign • Nadine Dorries MP • Another good website! • http://www.the20weekscampaign.org/

  13. Passion for life • Roadshow – MPs and peers visiting 20 venues • One million postcards distributed • Mass lobby of parliament

  14. What happened? • 20 weeks campaign pushed parliament into defence mode • Glasgow by-election lost on pro-life vote • NI protest over threat to impose liberal abortion • World economic crisis creates mayhem for government • PM Gordon Brown prevents the debate from taking place

  15. Key elements of strategy • Lots and lots of prayer • Achievable objectives • Winning the scientific arguments • Working with the co-beligerents • Infiltrating institutions • Mobilising supporters • Using the media effectively • Effective political lobbying

  16. What can students do? • Get informed • Pray • Join Alive and Kicking (and Care not Killing) • Write letters to MP – www.writetothem.com • Educate others – students and churches • Get involved in the BMA

  17. What can students do (2)? • The key issue is availability and willingness to put your head above the parapet • “Whom shall I send and who will go for us?” And I said “Here I am, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8) • Getting involved • With thanks to Peter Saunders for these slides

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