Lower limit for abortions, two thirds of GPs say

Full Story:
http://www.stopinjusticenow.com/News_0432.htm
Two thirds of GPs want the limit for abortions reduced from 24 weeks, a survey shows. Research by Marie Stopes International, a charity which carries out a third of abortions in Britain, found family doctors wanted the limit for social abortions to be brought down to between 20 and 23 weeks. It comes after MPs heard conflicting evidence about the survival chances of babies born extremely prematurely. One doctor said survival at 23 weeks had improved while others said it had not, remaining at less than 15 per cent. Today's survey found that half of GPs also support a relaxation of the law to allow abortion on request up to 14 weeks, which would remove the need for two doctors to sign off on each case. One in five GPs said they were anti-abortion with the rest as broadly pro-choice, while three in five agree that allowing girls under 16 to have an abortion without their parents' knowledge or consent was satisfactory. Liz Davies, director of UK operations at Marie Stopes, said: "We are delighted to find such strong endorsement from general practitioners for a change in the law to remove the archaic requirement for two doctors to provide written consent in order for any first trimester abortion to proceed. "Contrary to popular belief we do not currently have abortion on request in Britain, unlike most other European countries and reform is long overdue."