Termination of pregnancy: a case for a change in the law.
In recent months there has been renewed public and parliamentary debate on whether the abortion law in the United Kingdom should be reformed. Parliament has debated the issue on three occasions and now the House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology are calling for evidence in support of their inquiry into reform of the Abortion Act 1967. The inquiry gives district nurses the opportunity to inform the debate and ensure that their voices are heard given that topics for reform include nurse-led abortions and home abortions. In this article Richard Griffith and Cassam Tengnah review the development of the law relating to abortion and highlight the areas of reform to be considered by the select committee.
Griffith
Richard
R
School of Health Science, Swansea University. richard.griffith@swan.ac.uk
Tengnah
Cassam
C
D000029:Abortion, Legal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing / Q000639:trends; D000032:Abortion, Therapeutic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital; D005260:Female; D020793:Gatekeeping / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D018579:Patient Selection; D010819:Physician's Role; D011247:Pregnancy; D011637:Public Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D012307:Risk Factors; D006113:United Kingdom; D014933:Women's Rights / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
D003281:Contraceptives, Postcoital