700 Doctors and Nurses Urge British Government to Protect Babies From Abortions
Over 700 medical professionals have called on MPs to back an amendment to the Government’s Criminal Justice Bill, in what would be the biggest change to abortion law for a generation.
In a letter to all 650 MPs, the medical professionals have urged MPs to vote in support of the landmark amendment tabled by a cross-party group of over 30 MPs, led by Caroline Ansell MP, that would lower the abortion time limit from 24 to 22 weeks in line with advances in medical science.
The group of MPs backing the amendment includes former health minister Maggie Throup, ex-shadow cabinet Labour minister Rachael Maskell, ex-shadow Labour minister Marie Rimmer, ex-home office minister Sir John Hayes, ex-Cabinet Minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and Miriam Cates.
A 24-week abortion limit is now beyond the point when many babies survive, double that of the most common time limit among European Union countries and represents a contradiction at the heart of our abortion law.
Originally set at 28 weeks, the abortion limit was lowered in 1990 to 24 weeks gestation. Improved survival rates for extremely premature babies between 24 and 28 weeks was one of the key considerations that motivated this change.
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By the same logic, and informed by the improved survival rates for babies born at 22 and 23 weeks gestation, MPs are now calling for the abortion time limit to be updated.
Research published in November 2023 by academics at the University of Leicester and Imperial College London indicates that a significant number of babies born at 22 and 23 weeks gestation can now survive outside the womb. According to this research, there were a total of 261 babies born alive at 22 and 23 weeks, before the abortion limit, who survived to discharge from hospital in 2020 and 2021.
This is compared to the Government abortion statistics, which show that in 2021 alone, 755 ‘ground C’ abortions were performed when the baby was at 22 or 23 weeks gestation (ground C is the statutory ground under which the vast majority of abortions are permitted and there is currently a 24-week time limit for abortions performed under this statutory ground).
This leaves a real contradiction in British law. In one room of a hospital, doctors could be working to save a baby born alive at 23 weeks whilst, in another room of that same hospital, a doctor could perform an abortion that would end the life of a baby at the same age.
Our 24-week time limit is also out of step with the majority of European Union countries, where the most common time limit for abortion on demand or on broad social grounds is 12 weeks.
Countries with 12-week limits for abortion on demand or on broad social grounds include Germany, Italy and Belgium as well as the more “liberal” Nordic countries Denmark and Finland. Even Sweden has a time limit for abortion on demand or on broad social grounds that is much lower than the United Kingdom at 18 weeks.
The full text of the letter from medical professionals to MPs and ministers reads:
We are writing as medical professionals to express our support for Caroline Ansell MP’s amendment New Clause 151 to the Criminal Justice Bill that would reduce the upper time limit for abortion from 24 to 22 weeks.2
This amendment is long overdue in light of the increased numbers of babies born at 22 or 23 weeks who are now able to survive. In the decade to 2019 alone, the survival rate for babies born at 23 weeks doubled,3 prompting new guidance from the British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM) that enables doctors to intervene to save premature babies from 22 weeks gestation.4
In 1990, the abortion time limit was reduced from 28 to 24 weeks gestation in reflection of medical and technological advancements that had resulted in improving survival rates for babies born before 28 weeks gestation. A reduction in the upper time limit to 22 weeks would be appropriate now given further medical advancements that have led to significant further improvements in survival rates for babies who are born before the 24-week abortion limit.
A reduction to 22 weeks is a moderate change that ought to command widespread support, particularly in the context of the median abortion time limit among EU countries, which is 12 weeks gestation. As medical professionals, we, the undersigned, urge MPs to support this important amendment.
1 HC, ‘Criminal Justice Bill (Amendment NC15)’, https://bills.parliament.uk/
2 N.B. This clause would only lower the time limit for abortions for which the current time limit is 24 weeks, performed under Section 1(1)(a) of the Abortion Act.
3 British Association of Perinatal Medicine (BAPM), ‘New BAPM Framework on Extreme Preterm Birth Published’, 23 October 2019, https://www.bapm.org/articles/
4 BAPM, ‘Perinatal Management of Extreme Preterm Birth Before 27 weeks of Gestation (2019)’, 23 October 2019, https://www.bapm.org/
Medical doctor, John Wyatt, who is Emeritus Professor of Neonatal Paediatrics, Ethics & Perinatology at University College London and who has worked as a neonatologist for almost 30 years, said:
“I have first hand experience that on the one hand we are able to keep babies alive from 22 to 23 weeks gestation and many of them survive and live normal and healthy lives, yet at the same time the current abortion act allows abortion to be carried out effectively at maternal request at 24 weeks gestation.”
Mischa from Surrey, mum to Amaya, who was born at 23 weeks and five days said:
“Our beautiful Amaya was born at 23 weeks and 5 days. She’ll be turning 3 years old in the summer and has come such a long way. She’s the most expressive baby and it is so fun to see what silly face she may pull next, always showing her emotions!”
“She is such a water baby and adores her swimming lessons. I’ll never forget bringing her home for the first time and as I opened the ambulance door, the whole family was there cheering and clapping to welcome home my baby. She has brought so much light to so many lives.”
“It’s not easy to raise our premature baby. Every day was a fight; she has been fighting so hard. But we wouldn’t change it for the world. My little one was born at 23 weeks – why does she get to live while a 24-week baby in the womb could still be aborted?”
“The UK abortion law is out of date with medical science – my daughter is living proof of that. She’s a baby, just like others in the womb at 22 or 23 weeks. We hope to see this law changed to bring it in line with modern science so babies in the womb, the same age as my little fighter when she was born, are treated the same.”
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK Catherine Robinson said:
“The UK abortion time limit is double the average among EU countries, which is 12 weeks gestation, a point in pregnancy when the NHS website describes the unborn baby as ‘fully formed’.”
“At the moment, a baby at 22 or 23 weeks gestation could be born prematurely and have a dedicated medical team provide expert care to try to save his or her life, while another baby at the same age could have their life deliberately ended by abortion in the same hospital at the same time. This is a contradiction in UK law.”
“That’s why we need to support Caroline Ansell’s amendment to lower the abortion time limit from 24 to 22 weeks in line with advances in medical science.”
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