Abortion: a public health issue

Abortion Act 1967

Historical data show that induced termination of pregnancy has been performed since the time of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks.2 In Britain, abortion was illegal in the 19th century and a significant number of women were suffering and dying as a result of illegal abortions. However, this is still sadly the case in developing countries where healthcare services are inadequate or poorly resourced and inaccessible.

The 1967 Abortion Act was introduced in Britain (not Northern Ireland) to change the situation and took effect on 27 April 1968. This was amended in 1990 by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, which changed the upper limit from 28 weeks to 24 weeks as advances in medicine led to survival of babies born after about 24 weeks of pregnancy. Under the Abortion Act abortion is legal, subject to the following criteria: (a) to save the mother's life; (b) to prevent grave permanent injury to the mother's physical or mental health; (c) under 24 weeks to avoid injury to the physical or mental health of the mother; (d) under 24 weeks to avoid …