Islington News: Abortion Pill

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Islington Tribune - by TOM FOOT
Published: 6 February 2009

GP surgery abortions-by-pills will be first in country

ISLINGTON doctors surgeries are to become the first in the country to offer abortions.
NHS Islington plans to introduce early medical abortions (EMAs), where women take pills to bring on a miscarriage, in GP surgeries.
Dr Wendy Savage, a leading gynaecologist and chairwoman of Doctors For A Women’s Choice on Abortion, was “delighted” by the breakthrough. “EMA allows abortions to be done outside of hospital settings,” she said. “Studies have shown that women welcome this. The law changed in 1990, allowing EMA to be carried out outside hospital, but the Department of the Health has been dragging its feet since then.”
EMA is available for women up to nine weeks pregnant. It means taking pills to cause an early miscarriage in a two-stage process. It does not involve surgery and there is no anaesthetic.
A spokeswoman for NHS Islington confirmed: “We would like to offer early medical abortions in primary care.
“We have no set plans but are considering our options.”
“Pro-life” campaigners say EMA is being introduced for cost-cutting reasons and that taking the fear factor out of abortion would “trivialise” the process.
Paul Tully, general secretary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, said: “We have deep concerns about the psychological and physical aftermath of EMA.
“It is being introduced because it is easier for the provider. ”

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