Getting an Abortion
 Who to See About Getting an NHS Abortion
Go to your own GP as soon as possible. Be clear and firm about explaining your reasons for wanting an abortion. Not all doctors have the same policy on abortion. You should be able to find out your doctor’s attitude to abortion from the practice leaflet. Doctors with specific religious views may be against abortion, except in certain circumstances, but in this case they are obliged to refer you to another GP. Other doctors, holding other views, may be more immediately sympathetic. Be prepared to answer a few questions about why you want an abortion. Even if your GP is sympathetic, s/he needs a clear indication that you've considered all the options and have come to a firm conclusion.
If you would rather not go to your own doctor, or if s/he will not help you to get an NHS abortion, you can:
- Try to see another doctor who might be more sympathetic (this may take up valuable time).
- Try your family planning clinic. Some can refer you to your local hospital.
- Go to your local BPAS or Brook Advisory Centre. They refer women to the NHS for free abortions whenever possible and desirable.
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NHS or Private?
The percentage of abortions done on the NHS in each health district varies considerably. You may live in an area where it is relatively easy to obtain an NHS abortion. Or you may live in an area that has poor NHS facilities. Taking the country as a whole, just over two thirds of all abortions are done on the NHS, the rest being done in the private and charity sectors. NHS abortions are becoming easier to get, but most regions of Britain still trail behind the 1979 royal commission recommendation that the NHS should provide 75% of abortions.
Once you've seen a doctor who has agreed to refer you to a hospital, the earlier you can see the gynaecologist there the better. This appointment can take anywhere from a few days to up to four weeks and then you may have to wait for the actual operation for up to several weeks. (See below, Problems)
To sum up, whether or not you get an NHS abortion depends on a combination of factors: your GP or local gynaecologist's attitude, local facilities, how many weeks pregnant you are, waiting lists, whether you have had an abortion before (some areas will not do repeat abortions), and your current situation.
If you fail to get an abortion on the NHS, the alternative is paying for one at one of the private or charitable clinics. The charitable clinics tend to be more aware of your problems, will talk to you about your abortion and will help as much as possible.
The cost at a charitable clinic varies but you can expect to pay about £275 to £310 (1998) for an abortion up to 12/14 weeks. A later abortion (after 14 weeks) costs more depending on how many weeks pregnant you are and what the clinic offers.
Late Abortions
In theory, the law allows abortion up to the 24th week of pregnancy (except in circumstances outlined above). However, abortion practice is different. Many NHS hospitals will only do abortions up to 12 weeks, and later ones only in exceptional circumstances. If you are turned down because you are considered "too late", it is worth looking around in case another hospital or clinic will accept you.
It is essential that you visit your doctor or a clinic as soon as possible.
Problems
If you suspect that for some reason there is undue delay in the process of organising an abortion, for example if there seems to be excessive delays in getting your pregnancy test results, getting an appointment at the hospital, your doctor says you should go home and think about it and come back in a couple of weeks, or your doctor says you are too late even though you are less than 24 weeks pregnant, don't delay. Time is crucial. Contact one of the advisory centres for advice.
The Law On Abortion
Before the 1967 Abortion Act, abortion was illegal, except to save the life of the pregnant woman.
The 1967 Abortion Act
Under the 1967 Act, which covers England, Wales and Scotland, abortion is legal in certain circumstances. Women do not have the right to abortion on request. Two doctors (normally your own GP and a hospital gynaecologist) have to agree that you are entitled to an abortion under the grounds of the Act. This applies to both the NHS and the private sector. The law states that you can get an abortion if continuing with the pregnancy would involve:
- risk to your life
- risk of injury to your mental and physical health
- risk of injury to the mental and physical health of your existing children
- substantial risk that the child would be born severely mentally or physically handicapped
These grounds can be interpreted quite widely, depending on your doctor's views on abortion. Some may be very unhelpful, others very helpful.
The 1990 Amendment
The Abortion Act 1967 was amended in 1990 by Section 37 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act. The main change is that there is now an upper time limit of 24 weeks for legal abortion. There is no upper time limit in a very few extreme cases, which are: risk to the life of the mother, risk of grave permanent injury to the mother and risk of serious fetal handicap.
For Those Under 16 Years
Women over 16 years do not need their parents' consent to have an abortion. If you are under 16, you normally need your parents' consent. However, the law does say that a girl under 16 can give consent to her own treatment if her doctor considers her to be mature enough to make the decision. But very few doctors are prepared to give medical treatment under these circumstances. The best thing to do in this situation is to contact one of the organisations listed in the Resources section of this leaflet. They will be sympathetic and help as best they can.
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