sad news – can’t help but think its a problem thats arisen as more girls stop using the contraceptive pill because of bad effects, but people still don’t want to use condoms or are put off by the cost or lack of sensation; yet it seems girls/women are being denied other equally effective forms of contraception by the NHS…
(there is unfortunately sometimes a judgemental attitude as well amongst senior NHS staff, particularly those in specialist roles)
I fully support everyones right to choose, I know that in the old-skool days if I had got someone pregnant back in the 90s and it wasn’t planed I would have agreed if she wanrted an abortion, there’s no way I would have had the emotional or ecnomic stability to properly raise a kid – I don’t think I have it even today..
but even even if the NHS just look at the cost alone… surely dealing with contraception is less costly than abortions (which NHS are funding 82% of anyway?)
Abortion rate continues to rise
The number of women having abortions has continued to rise in Wales and England, latest figures show. Department of Health figures show there were 185,400 abortions in 2004 – a rise of 2.1% from 181,600 in 2003 and about 5.3% from 176,000 in 2002.The abortion rate in 2004 was highest for women in the 18-19 and 20-24 age groups.
Among under 14s, the rate increased by 6%, nine more girls in total, but went down among under 16s and under 18s.
It is disappointing that the overall level of abortions has increased this year
A Department of Health spokeswomanFor under 16s the rate was 3.7 in 2004 compared with 3.9 in 2003. For under 18s it was 17.8 in 2004 compared with 18.2 in 2003.
The figures showed that 88% of abortions were carried out at less than 13 weeks of the pregnancy.
About 60% were carried out at under 10 weeks’ gestation – compared with 58% in 2003.
Only 1% of the abortions, 1,900 in total, were carried out under ground E of the Abortion Act – stating that the child would be born disabled – down from 1,950 in 2003.
Earlier abortions
The NHS funded 82% of abortions, with 51% taking place in the independent sector under contract to the NHS.
A Department of Health spokeswoman said: “It is disappointing that the overall level of abortions has increased this year.
ABORTION RATES PER 1,000 WOMEN AGED 15 TO 44
1969 – 5.3
1979 – 12
1989 – 15.5
1999 – 16.2
2003 – 16.6
2004 – 16.9“However, the latest data shows a fall in the rate of abortions taking place in under-18s and under-16s.
“There are also more early abortions taking place at under 10 weeks – a key target for primary care trusts across the country.”
There have been calls to cut the legal limit from 24 weeks.
The spokeswoman said they were working hard to reduce the demand for abortions by improving access to contraception.
These figures highlight the urgent need to improve NHS contraceptive services
Anne Weyman of the Family Planning AssociationThe government committed an extra £40 million to improve access to contraceptive services – part of the £300 million for sexual health announced in the Public Health White Paper last year.
The spokeswoman added: “We will also shortly be launching a major public information campaign – educating young people on the importance of safer sex.”
Patrick Leahy, director of Student LifeNet, a national coalition of pro-life students, said: “Whilst we are pleased that the under-18 abortion rate has dropped slightly we are astonished that the overall abortion figures have increased yet again to a staggering total of 195,000.
‘Abortion-on-demand’
“Alarmingly, the number of under-14 abortions have also increased by 6%.
“This is a very vulnerable group of young girls and we are shocked that the abortion rate for this age category is increasing year-on-year.
“It is clear now that the UK effectively has abortion-on-demand. The government must take immediate steps to reduce this horrific number of abortions by at least half through cutting the abortion time limit.”
Anne Weyman, chief executive of the Family Planning Association, said: “These figures highlight the urgent need to improve NHS contraceptive services.
“Greater investment is needed to improve access to services and train more health professionals in order to prevent unintended pregnancy.”
Marie Stopes International said a 2% rise was “neither here nor there”.
A spokesman said: “There are always variations year on year.
“However, the rise among young people continues to be a concern. This re-emphasises the need for more focus on better sex education.”
Ann Furedi, cheif executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said: “Women today want to plan their families and, when contraception fails, they are prepared to use abortion to get back in control of their lives.
“Motherhood is just one among many options open to women and it is not surprising that younger women want to prioritise other things.
“We should stop seeing abortion as a problem and start seeing it as a legitimate and sensible solution to the problem of unwanted pregnancy.”
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/4720813.stmPublished: 2005/07/27 10:55:18 GMT
© BBC MMV
in this country they won’t allow women to use alternative forms of contraception, like the coil, unless they already have children
one excuse is that if a woman changes her mind within the 5 or so years that the coil lasts, there is additional expense to remove it
another is that it won’t protect against STIs (but then neither does the pill)
surely this is a mimor cost when compared to having to perform surgery and the emotional cost, plus the potential for things to go wrong during surgery(infections etc) which require further medical attention
i don’t know about other places in the UK, but here, if a woman finds she is pregnant, but soesn’t know if she wants to have a baby, she cannot get any advice; a five minute appointment with her GP to be referred to a clinic for a termination is all that is available.
There is a small, charitable group who can give more in depth advice and emotional support, but every 6 months they are in crisis as they are not funded and rely heavily on volunteers
this is wrong, IMO
shit – I didn’t actually realise the coil / IUD
[*] was discouraged on financial grounds, I thought it was a medical reason……. I had two lots of liberal sex education, and many of my family work in the NHS so that just shows how ropey even the official advice can be…….
I think also there is a certain amount of “eugenics” in the NHS reproductive health services, I know thats a very strong word but I’m aware of situations where a white girl pregnant by a non-white bloke is often more likely to be advised to have a termination (OTOH the street culture of treating girls as “babymothers” doesn’t help matters…)
There is a small, charitable group who can give more in depth advice and emotional support, but every 6 months they are in crisis as they are not funded and rely heavily on volunteers
what is the name of this group? I’m perfectly happy to publicise it here.
Unwanted pregnancies are sometimes an unfortunate consequence of our hedonistic lifestyle, and people need appropriate support when this happens…
* not to be confused with IED, unless you are a militant christian..
what is the name of this group? I’m perfectly happy to publicise it here.
In Exeter the group are called Crisis Pregnancy Advice and are based upstairs at the YMCA on St David’s Hill
long may they continue
tried to find it on the net but they obviously dont’ have the money for a website 🙁
there’s a few other similar groups but only about 3 or 4 – not enough IMO
it seems they are broadly sympathetic to christian views but obviously not as judgemental as the mad activist christians (who IMO should be nicked along with the muslim extremists before they too start turning to violence)
you’re right
I went to have a look around the YMCA last year for work, which is how I found out that the service existed
the people there were all volunteers with counselling qualificatons and experience. the woman running it said it had been set up by people with christian values – christian with a small ‘c’ (i.e. helping others)
they definately weren’t about talking vulnerable young girls out of abortion. there was a big emphasis on giving the individual the power to make an informed choice, which i thought was very good.
I ended up taking away one of their leaflets to photocopy and give out at work as we come into contact with loads of young people who should know about it…they hardly had funds for a few leaflets
the only cost to running it is the space and one part-time employee to co-ordinate it and try and secure future funds. Of course, without people giving up their time and skills for free to provide this service, it would cost a lot more
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