UK Doctors Advised Not to Report Suspected Illegal Abortions

New Guidance Issued Amid Increasing Prosecutions of Vulnerable Women

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG) has issued new guidance instructing medical professionals in Britain not to report suspected illegal abortions to the authorities.
The guidance comes amid concerns over the increasing number of vulnerable women being prosecuted for ending their pregnancies illegally.
The new rules follow several high-profile cases, including Bethany Cox and Carla Foster, who were prosecuted under the controversial 1861 Offences Against the Person Act.
Abortions in Britain are only permitted in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for cases where the mother's life is at risk or the child would be born with a severe disability.
The British Pregnancy Advisory Service has criticized an 'informant culture' in medicine, arguing that too many women are being reported to the police by professionals they thought they could trust.