BMA says no to abortion by nurses
27 June 2007
The British Medical Association has voted against allowing nurses and midwives to carry out early abortions.
At the annual conference, it was decided that even first trimester abortions could still be too complicated to carry out without a doctor’s presence.
Dr David Pring led arguments against allowing other medical professions not to perform abortions. He said: ‘The operation is timely, is technically very difficult, especially in young women and sadly these make up a significant number of our clientele.’
Dr Pring went on to say that often only very experienced surgeons were able to detect problems during a procedure.
The decision went against hopes of pro-choice organisations. Anne Weyman, Chief Executive of the Family Planning Association (fpa) said: “We are disappointed that the BMA has voted not to extend the role of performing abortion to other trained professionals and the premises where abortion takes place, as the evidence to support this change is clear.”
Over nine in ten abortions are performed when a woman is less than 13 weeks pregnant, during which the risk of complications is significantly lower.
Proposals for nurses and midwives to perform early abortions involve allowing them to administer drugs to induce a medical abortion. The drugs mifepristone and either misoprostol or gemeprost are administered over a two day period, causing the womb to cramp and expel its contents.
Thirty percent of all abortions in 2006 were medical abortions.