Society for the Protection of Unborn Children
3 Whitacre Mews, Stannary Street
London, SE11 4AB, United Kingdom
Telephone: (020) 7091 7091
Fax: (020) 7820 3131
Email: information@spuc.org.uk

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Abortion trivialised in pilot studies report, says SPUC

London, 7th May 2008 - The killing of unborn children and damage to mothers has been trivialised by a report into providing chemical abortions outside of hospitals, says the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC). The report, published by the Department of Health, claims that clinics are just as safe locations as hospitals for performing abortion using the RU-486 abortion drug.

Anthony Ozimic, SPUC political secretary, said: "Easier access to abortion trivialises the killing of unborn children and the damage caused to mothers and society by abortion. The recent draft position statement from the Royal College of Psychiatrists confirms that women may be at risk of developing mental problems as a result of having an abortion. This reflects the findings of the 2006 Fergusson study which suggested that abortion in young women may be associated with increased risks of mental health problems. The Fergusson study was a highly regarded, independent, 25 year longitudinal study published in the Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry.

"Also, the Department of Health report's credibility should be questioned, as the report was not an independent, peer-reviewed, journal-published study, but was in fact co-authored by one of Britain's most active campaigners for easier access to abortion, Ellie Lee of the Pro-Choice Forum. The report's advisory group likewise featured some of Britain's leading pro-abortionists, most notably Ann Furedi of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), who has no problem with the increasing numbers of abortions."

Notes for editors

Among the advisory group for the Department of Health's report ('Evaluation of Early Medical Abortion (EMA) Pilot Sites') were:

• Toni Belfield, until recently Director of Information at the Family Planning Association (fpa), one of Britain's leading pro-abortion organisations.
• Christian Fiala, prominent Austrian abortion doctor.
• Kathy French, a speaker at last year's Marie Stopes Global Safe Abortion Conference.
• Kate Guthrie, one of Britain's most prominent abortion doctors.
• Ian Mackenzie, another leading abortion doctor.