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More than 1,000 women from Northern Ireland traveled to England or Wales for abortions last year.<\/p>\nMore than 1,000 women from Northern Ireland traveled to England or Wales for abortions last year.<\/p>\n
The NHS does not charge patients from the region for the procedure because it is largely unavailable at home.<\/p>\n
Northern Ireland has the strictest law surrounding terminations in the UK or Ireland.<\/p>\n
Marie Stopes UK calls on the UK Government to stop this suffering and ensure Northern Irish women are finally afforded the caring and compassionate services they deserve<\/p>\n
Imogen Stephens, Marie Stopes UK\u2019s medical director, said: \u201cIt is shameful that, in 2018, more than 1,000 women from Northern Ireland are still being forced to travel to England to access abortion care, including those who have become pregnant as a result of rape or incest or whose fetus has no chance of survival outside of the womb.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany more women are unable to travel and have no option but to risk prosecution by ordering pills online or continuing a pregnancy they do not want.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marie Stopes provides lawful abortion services in the UK.<\/p>\n
Ms Stephens added: \u201cMarie Stopes UK calls on the UK Government to stop this suffering and ensure Northern Irish women are finally afforded the caring and compassionate services they deserve.\u201d<\/p>\n
In 2018, there were 1,053 abortions for women from Northern Ireland, an increase of 192 from 2017, the Department of Health and Social Care said.<\/p>\n
The Democratic Unionists are adamantly opposed to any liberalization of Northern Ireland\u2019s abortion law.<\/p>\n
Unlike other parts of the UK, the 1967 Abortion Act does not extend to there.<\/p>\n
A termination is only permitted if a woman\u2019s life is at risk or if there is a danger of permanent and serious damage to her mental or physical health.<\/p>\n
Campaigners want the UK Government to legislate in the absence of Stormont power-sharing.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s degrading and insulting that the UK Government allows women in Northern Ireland to travel to receive vital healthcare services, but will not give us this same access at home<\/p>\n
Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International\u2019s Northern Ireland campaign manager, said it is unsurprising that the number travelling has increased.<\/p>\n
She added: \u201cThe ongoing near-total ban on abortion doesn\u2019t stop women needing or seeking abortions, it just forces them to board planes to access the healthcare.<\/p>\n
\u201cWomen should be treated with respect and dignity and given the right to make choices about their own body at home.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s clear that change needs to happen.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s degrading and insulting that the UK Government allows women in Northern Ireland to travel to receive vital healthcare services, but will not give us this same access at home.\u201d<\/p>\n