DIY abortion pill at home

At the moment if you want an abortion it must be approved by two health professionals in a hospital or clinic. You cannot buy abortion pills over the internet legally or over the counter at a pharmacy, as a result of this women and young girls have to be seen in a clinic or hospital to be administered the abortion pill.

The UK’s largest abortion provider is going to court to change the law that states the abortion pill can only be taken in the presence of a nurse or doctor. At the moment the first pill is taken then another tablet is taken 24-48 hours later to complete the termination. GP’s also have the power to administer these pills but most refuse to do so. If the law is changes then the changes could come into effect in as little as two months.

Women who choose early medical abortions over surgical abortions are more likely to need hospital treatment as bleeding heavily are a common and dangerous side effect. The first tablet makes the lining of the womb instable, and then the second causes the womb to contract and push the foetus out.

DIY abortions at home will only be available to women who are 9 weeks or less pregnant as a powerful tablet is all that is needed to successfully terminate. Women who are over 9 weeks pregnant will need to be supervised by a nurse or doctor. DIY abortions are already available in other parts of the world such as America, Canada, France, Norway, Sweden and Denmark where women do not have to suffer unnecessary stress travelling to an abortion clinic.

Pro-life campaigners are horrified by this move and say that abortion pills will become more like taking aspirin rather than being a serious pill taken under medical supervision. They also argue that younger girls will use this as a form of contraception rather than using it in emergency situations when contraception fails.

Those who have had the abortion pill are half and half, you are given the pill and asked to go home straight after but many find that they do not make it home in time and are crippled in pain for hours by painful cramps and heavy bleeding. So what is the point of travelling to a clinic only to be told to go straight home afterwards to let the tablets work?