What is the current abortion law?

It is legal until 24 weeks, provided that two doctors agree on a medical justification. Later abortions are still legal for reasons of maternal health or foetal abnormality. In the first trimester, a medical justification can always be made because health risks of pregnancy outweigh those of a termination.

Why is it being debated now?

While the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill does not include any provisions on abortion, the Government has allocated time to allow MPs to table amendments on the subject.

What amendments are likely?

Anti-abortion MPs plan to propose a range of new time limits, including 12, 16, 18, 20 and 22 weeks. Other amendments may seek to end late terminations in cases of foetal abnormality.

What are the arguments for a lower limit?

Some MPs simply believe that abortion is wrong, and want to make it more difficult. Others claim that because some babies born before 24 weeks survive, it is unethical to terminate pregancies at this point.

When is a foetus viable?

Survival at 22 weeks is exceptionally rare. At 23 weeks, only 18 per cent per cent of those admitted to neonatal units survived to leave hospital, and most of those are disabled. This has not improved for a decade.

What about slightly later births?

From 24 weeks, the prospects are much better, and improving. The Trent study found that at 24 weeks, 41 per cent now leave hospital, compared with 24 per cent ten years ago. At 25 weeks, survival rose from 52 per cent to 63 per cent

Don't anti-abortionists cite another study?

University College Hospital, in London, claims that survival rates for babies born between 22 and 25 weeks improved from 32 per cent to 71 per cent between 1981 and 2000. The study's methodology has been criticised.

Could the law be liberalised?

Yes. No one is proposing raising the 24-week limit, but the British Medical Association supports removing the two-doctor rule and the requirement for medical justification, in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Is liberalisation likely?

No. The Times understands that MPs in favour of allowing abortion have decided not to table amendments.

Does this mean we're set for US-style abortion politics?

Probably not. There is little public support for a total ban on abortion. Parliament is unlikely to consider the issue again for several years.

The law

— Before 1967 Abortion illegal, except when mother's life at risk

— 1967 Abortion Act legalises abortion until 28 weeks, provided two doctors agree on medical justification

— 1990 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act reduces time limit to 24 weeks

— 2008 Labour agrees to consider amendments to existing law

Source: Times database

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