Sky News: Women in England are to be allowed to take the second abortion pill at home. The move will mean women can avoid bleeding and pain in public after travelling home from taking the pill at a clinic.
Women in England currently are required to take both pills, mifepristone and misoprostol, 24-48 hours apart in a clinic to end an early pregnancy before 10 weeks’ gestation. The government said it will legalise home-use by the end of the year. Women meeting certain criteria will still be required to attend a clinic for the administration of mifepristone, the first medication.
They will then be given the option of being discharged home to self-administer the second medication, misoprostol. If they prefer, they will still be able to attend a clinic.In October 2017, Scotland became the first place in the UK where women could take the second abortion pill at home.Wales announced they would follow suit in June.More than 100,000 women in England have early abortions each year and will be impacted by this change.
The move has been welcomed by campaigners.
Professor Lesley Regan, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), said: “This simple and practical measure will provide women with significantly more choice and is the most compassionate care we can give them.”It will also improve access to safe and regulated abortion care and take pressure off NHS services.” Ann Furedi, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), said the decision “represents an outbreak of common sense”.
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