The future of abortion law and services must be guided by evidence, not swayed by anti-abortion rhetoric and misinformation, says Alison Wright

BMJ 2026; 392 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.s603
27 March 2026
Alison Wright, president of Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

The House of Lords voted last week to support an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that removes the possibility of prosecuting women for ending or attempting to end their pregnancy.1 This is a landmark and long overdue moment for women’s healthcare in England and Wales. Yet in the days following the vote much of the public conversation has been shaped by alarming misinformation.2,3,4 Claims that this law reform would allow abortion “up to birth,” remove safeguards, or encourage more women to access abortion later in pregnancy are simply not true.

Continued: https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s603