Press Releases

The latest Government figures show a 2.5% (4,800) increase in the number of abortions performed in 2007. The statistics also showed that there was significant increase in the number of abortions performed on girls under 16. This announcement comes as amendments are being tabled to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill which would permit abortions to be carried out on demand by nurses as well as doctors.

LIFE responds to bad news from Parliament

On Tuesday 20th May it is likely that politicians will debate amendments to the current abortion law. Several amendments have been tabled by MPs seeking to restrict the current law and it is probable that at least one of these amendments will be debated for three hours in the House of Commons from 15:30 GMT.

LIFE spokespeople are available for comment and interviews throughout the weekend and next week [contact details below].

LIFE spokesperson Joanne Hill says:

“It’s a real tragedy to hear that girls aged just 12 years old are having sex, getting pregnant and having abortions at a time in their life when they should be enjoying the carefree times of childhood.

LIFE responds to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee's report on abortion law

Plans for loosening Britain’s abortion laws have been overwhelmingly rejected by the public, according to a new poll.

A majority of people oppose proposals to make abortion available early in pregnancy on the authority of only one doctor, instead of two doctors as the law currently requires.

The public is even more hostile to plans for nurses, as well as doctors, to be allowed to perform abortions.

LIFE, the national caring charity, has urged the government to seize the opportunity offered by the new Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill to make positive changes to Britain’s abortion law. The number of abortions has reached another disturbing new peak with over 193,000 terminations in England and Wales in 2006.

The charity LIFE is saddened by the conclusion of a study commissioned by Schering, the contraceptive manufacturer, which calls for the promotion of long-acting reversible methods of contraception in order to reduce the ‘unnecessarily high’ abortion rate among those in long-term relationships.

LIFE, the UK’s national caring charity, today criticised the response of some MPs to the news that women have had to wait up to 7 weeks for abortion on the NHS.

LIFE spokesperson Michaela Aston said “The reaction to this story is sad as it highlights the ignorance of many with regard to the plight of women in crisis pregnancies.

LIFE, the national charity, have published the results of a survey, which reveals that a significant proportion of women experience psychological suffering after abortion. This follows on from an exclusive report and letter in today’s Times newspaper (p.22 & p.40: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2424034.html / http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,59-2423358.html) from 15 eminent psychiatrists and lawyers calling for a review of medical guidelines to clearly identify the potentially damaging psychological consequences of abortion on women’s health.

LIFE, the national caring and educational charity, is concerned by the FPA’s sexual health awareness week.

LIFE spokeswoman Rachel Heath said: “It is disingenuous of the FPA to present condom promotion as the panacea for STIs and unplanned pregnancy. The evidence, both statistical and practical, is mixed at best.

Recent research carried out by Professor David Paton (Nottingham University) has suggested that providing contraceptive safety nets to young people may even exacerbate the problem by creating a false sense of security about pregnancy and STIs.

LIFE, the national pro-life charity, has called upon the Government to take action to substantially reduce the upper time limit for abortion, following a meeting where the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, asked the Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt to support a review.