🧵A Westminster Hall debate on decriminalising abortion is starting.

It follows a parliamentary petition to stop the criminalisation of women under abortion law - signed by more than 100,000 people.

We'll be live tweeting, and you can tune in live here ▶️parliamentlive.tv 2/ @tonyvaughanMP has kicked off the debate by thanking Gemma Clark for raising this important issue.

Gemma is a staunch pro-choice advocate from Scotland who we were delighted to accompany to Downing St in April to deliver this petition to government.

https://x.com/BPAS1968/status/1916900444175057288

Risk should always be presented in a way that contextualises it.

This new study suggests that use of any hormonal method, so progestogen-only methods as well, slightly increases risk of breast cancer, but the absolute increase is small.

theguardian.com/society/2023/m… For example, among those aged 25-29, the estimated risk of breast cancer over a 15 year period is 0.57% among those using oral contraceptives, compared with a risk of 0.5% among non-users.

In many news reports, today's Court of Appeal judgment re: women's ability to access abortion care in heartbreaking circumstances post-24 weeks gestation is not being presented accurately.

So, here's a thread on what the legal challenge and today's ruling actually mean. The legal challenge, which was dismissed by the Court of Appeal today, did not seek to revoke access to abortion care solely in cases of a diagnosis of Down’s Syndrome.

Earlier this year, our new Health Secretary voted to revoke access to at-home abortion care, and recriminalise women who end their own pregnancies without the approval of two doctors.

dailymail.co.uk/health/article… In doing so, @theresecoffey voted against the advice of leading medical bodies including @RCObsGyn, @MidwivesRCM, and @TheBMA.

To have a Health Secretary who would place their personal beliefs above expert clinical guidance is deeply concerning.

theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to protecting women’s access to abortion care free from harassment. This is a significant step forward, but it is woefully overdue. @backoffscotland @NicolaSturgeon @GillianMacMSP Over the last year, we have seen a significant escalation in protest activity both in Scotland and the rest of Great Britain, and it is incredibly disappointing that the respective governments have still not taken any action.

Childcare provision is extremely important in terms of supporting women’s reproductive choices – and our previous research has found that concerns about high childcare costs may be preventing some women starting their families. 🧵

workingmums.co.uk/tuc-childcare-… There are other areas of public policy that impact on women’s ability to make their own pregnancy decisions.

Our research has found that the two-child limit is forcing some women to end what would be otherwise wanted pregnancies.
bpas.org/media/3409/for…

Where do the @Conservatives leadership candidates stand on abortion rights?

This thread has all you need to know 🧵 Starting off with @RishiSunak MP. The former Chancellor, has ABSTAINED from every major vote on abortion rights since becoming an MP.

😶 Telemedicine
😶 Buffer zones
😶 Decriminalisation in England & Wales
😶 Abortion in Northern Ireland

Recent discussions re: the prescribing of Sodium Valproate, a medication used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder, to women of childbearing age have raised many complex issues surrounding risk and patient choice. Here, we try to explore some of these tensions and questions🧵 Sodium Valproate is a highly effective medication for the treatment of epilepsy.

For some individuals, it may be the only medication that can manage their seizures, protecting their wellbeing and indeed ultimately their lives.

This morning, @BBCr4today, gave their prominent platform of Thought for the Day to a Catholic commentator who proceeded to state, unchallenged, that abortion laws in the UK "demean people with disability." It is deeply problematic that @BBCr4today continue to give an unchallenged platform for these proclamations.

Would we accept the BBC providing the same platform for an individual to espouse their religious opposition to same-sex relationships, for example?

We are concerned that discussions comparing the risks of blood clots associated with the AstraZeneca vaccine with those of the contraceptive pill could pave the way to a repeat of the 1995 “Pill Scare” which led to a significant increase in unplanned pregnancies.

Thread⬇️ Combined hormonal contraceptives (CHC) are overall very safe for most women to take - the very small increased risk of venous thrombosis (VTE) with use of the combined pill is far lower than the risk for VTE during or after pregnancy.

Today marks the 4-year anniversary of the two-child limit.

Our research, released in December 2020, found that this cruel policy is a “significant factor” in women’s decision to end a pregnancy during the pandemic. #AllKidsCount

theguardian.com/society/2020/d… @patrickjbutler Even the most carefully planned families can find themselves plunged into financial difficulties due to
sudden unemployment, and women can struggle to protect themselves against unplanned pregnancy.
This has never been more true than during the current pandemic. #AllKidsCount

Today, the US-based anti-abortion group 40 Days for Life will begin 40 day long protests outside 14 abortion clinics across Great Britain. All but 3 of these clinics are run by BPAS. We’re targeted for speaking out against this harassment, but we’re not going to stop. #BackOff Around half of the women we see attend a clinic at some stage in the treatment. The tactics used by these protesters may not be violent, but they’re not peaceful. Women and healthcare professionals are often left alarmed and distressed by what happens at the clinic gate. #BackOff

We can no longer stand by while women in #NorthernIreland are forced to travel to England for abortion care during #covidー19, despite the fact abortion is now legal in NI.

That's why today we have launched a telemedical service to send NI women abortion pills by post. #NowForNI We will run the service in collaboration with healthcare professionals in #NorthernIreland, for women up to 10 weeks of pregnancy.

Anyone in NI who needs our service can call 0300 500 8086 to arrange a teleconsultation with a doctor in Northern Ireland. #Pillsbypost #NowforNI

We are saddened but not surprised by the @DHSCgovuk finding that women are being denied epidurals in childbirth.
Women have told us how when they requested one they were told “labour is meant to be hard work” amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2… #NICE guidance is clear that women should be able to have an epidural when they need one, including in early labour.

The bpas Finsbury Park clinic this morning. No problems with anti-abortion groups before and now there are 45 protesters outside. This is a direct result of @ukhomeoffice’s refusal to take action - giving the impression that harassing women outside clinics is acceptable. #BackOff If you have come across the anti-abortion protesters in Stroud Green this morning and you want to share your experience (whether you were visiting the clinic or not), you can share your experience with us here back-off.org/share-your-exp… #BackOff @haringeycouncil @CatherineWest1

The #BBC says it will not include abortion information on its Action Line website - a site that provides signposting for viewers seeking support on issues covered in their programmes - because it's too "contentious".

Our press release: bpas.org/about-our-char… These organisations have written to the @BBC calling on them to reverse their stance. Read our letter in full here: bpas.org/media/3103/let…

We're at Ealing Council for their decision on bringing in a buffer zone outside the Marie Stopes clinic on Mattock Lane. We support a PSPO to stop the harassment of women. #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory Click here if you'd like to watch it live! Courtesy of the wonderful @SisterSupporter.
facebook.com/SisterSupporte… #BackOff #EalingMakesHistory

We are incredibly disappointed to hear that Maria Caulfield MP, who supports the criminalisation of women who end their own pregnancies, is the new CCHQ Vice Chair for Women. Maria Caulfield lead the parliamentary opposition to @DianaJohnsonMP's bill to protect women and decriminalise abortion up to 24 weeks, and defended the current law which threatens any woman who ends her own pregnancy without the approval of 2 doctors with life imprisonment.