"The central issue on abortion rights, including rights to later abortion, remains the needs and individual circumstances of women.

"While holding in reserve our opinion of this study, which is in conflict with other studies and other scientific investigations into foetal survival including in Parliament, women’s rights to abortion cannot ever be simply determined by scientific findings.

"A tiny proportion, less than 1 per cent, of abortions take place between 21 and 24 weeks and they are needed by women facing the most exceptional and difficult circumstances. These include women who did not know they were pregnant until later on because they were consistently using contraception or were nearing the menopause, women delayed or lost in the system by the NHS, women facing profound ‘denial’ associated with trauma such as rape and incest, or catastrophic life circumstances such as domestic violence or a crisis with an existing child. Neither the women, nor the doctors involved take the decision lightly.

"It is absolutely crucial that parliament respects the needs of the small number of women concerned and resists pressure from the minority anti-abortion lobby to chip away at women’s abortion rights."

Abortion Rights will be campaigning throughout the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, currently in Parliament, to defend women’s current rights and to maximise any opportunities to advance the law for women, to end unacceptable barriers to accessing services.

An opinion poll commissioned by Abortion Rights in October 2007 to mark the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Abortion Act showed 83 per cent support a woman’s right to make her own abortion decision. This finding is in line with previous polls over a number of years.

ENDS:

For further information and interviews please contact Louise Hutchins, Abortion Rights Campaign Coordinator on 020 7923 9792