A UK politician is today launching a campaign to reduce the upper limit for abortion from 24 weeks to 20 weeks, when the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is debated in the UK’s House of Commons later this month.
Ms Dorries, Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Mid Bedfordshire, is supported by consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Vincent Argent, former medical director of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Dr Peter Saunders, General Secretary of the Christian Medical Fellowship, and ultrasound expert Professor Stuart Campbell.
Ms Dorries, a former nurse, will publish a briefing paper, “20 Reasons for 20 Weeks”, which will outline the case for reducing the UK’s upper limit from 24 to 20 weeks. A website, www.the20weekscampaign.org, has been set up.
Ms Dorries said: “Britain has 200,000 abortions a year or 600 a day. That is just too many. We must slow down on abortion.
“I respect a woman’s right to choose. But we are close to being the abortion capital of the world and it is now time to adopt a more moderate, commonsense approach to abortion.
There has been a sharp increase in the number of abortions carried out in the UK since it was legalised in 1969. In 1970, there were 86,000 abortions a year, currently there are 200,000.
“It is time to send a new signal about abortion, a less casual message, bringing Britain into line with the rest of Europe,” said Ms Dorries.
“With an increasing number of babies surviving at 24 weeks or below, we now have the absurd situation where doctors are battling to save premature babies in one part of the hospital and ending life in another part at exactly the same point of gestation.”
