Doctors have been issued new guidance on reporting women who have illegally ended their own pregnancy to the police. New best practice from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) stress that reporting such information can impact women who 'may be especially vulnerable and have suffered the distress of a later stage loss.’
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The best practice guidelines follow an increase in police investigations into illegal abortions: 2022 saw the number recorded by police rise from 16 to 29 in 4 years. The RCOG’s update is a reminder to healthcare professionals that they are under no legal obligation to contact police following an abortion, nor any other matter of women’s health unless it is in the ‘public interest’. The RCOG believes it is never in the public interest to investigate a patient suspected of ending their own pregnancy.
‘These women should be treated with care and compassion, without judgement or fear of imprisonment,’ said President of the RCOG, Dr Ranee Thakar. ‘Outdated, antiquated abortion laws mean women who have experienced unexplained pregnancy loss are also vulnerable to criminal investigation, and health professionals are placed under unacceptable and unwarranted scrutiny.’
Rules in England, Scotland and Wales allow abortions to take place in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy and must be performed by a registered medical practitioner. The RCOG wishes to see UK abortion laws reformed to include the removal of women ending their own pregnancies from criminal law. Dr Thakar said that the best practice guideline is one way the RCOG is ‘working towards removing abortion care from criminal law and placing it instead under medical regulation.’
If a healthcare worker does report someone for ending their own pregnancy, they must justify the reasoning for disclosing patient data or face ‘potential fitness to practice proceedings’. Dr Thakar said, ‘We hope this new best practice guidance gives healthcare professionals clarity around their legal and professional obligations. It is vital that they understand what is expected of them and the potential consequences of breaching patient confidentiality.’