Ireland – Abortion numbers are in line with predictions

Letter of the Day
Mon Jul 15 2024
by Dr Peter Boylan, Former chair, Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists,

Sir, – Breda O’Brien’s claim that there has been an “astonishing rise” in abortion services accessed by women in the Republic of Ireland since the repeal of the Eighth Amendment is misplaced (“In Ireland, you can tell people abortion figures won’t rise and still be unaccountable when they double”, Opinion & Analysis, July 13th).

The statistic of 3,019 women from the Republic accessing abortion in England and Wales in 2017 refers only to the number of women who gave addresses in the Republic. Many others provided the UK addresses of family, friends or supporters. This practice was well-identified over many years when abortion was illegal here. Similarly, the number of women who used abortion pills prior to repeal cannot be accurately determined.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/2024/07/15/abortion-numbers-are-in-line-with-predictions/

15.07.2024

Ireland – Protesters call for removal of barriers to abortion

Saturday, 29 Oct 2022
By Colman O'Sullivan

Around a thousand people have marched in Dublin to mark the tenth anniversary of the death of Savita Halappanavar and to call for changes to abortion laws.

Speaking at the Garden of Remembrance before the march set off, Orla O'Connor of the National Women's Council called for an end to the three-day waiting period before a woman can get an abortion and the abolition of the 12-week limit.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/1029/1332157-abortion/

Ireland: Abortion and science

Science is far from silent on the adverse consequences for women of restrictive abortion laws

Sat Oct 22 2022
Dr. Peter Boylan

Sir, – William Reville argues that science is silent on the ethics of abortion and that leading scientific journals cannot present “science’s position on abortion – science has no position” (“Why science remains silent on the morality of abortion”, Science, October 21st). He suggests that, following the overturning of Roe v Wade by the US supreme court earlier this year, it is a function of democracy that, “For almost 50 years American conservatives lived with universal access to abortion. Now American liberals must live with restricted access to abortion.”

It is American women and girls, both conservative and liberal, who must now live with the dangers of restricted access to safe and legal abortion. Moreover, science, in the form of evidence-based research and data, is far from silent on the adverse consequences for women of restrictive abortion laws. The science is clear that such laws do not result in fewer abortions, but instead put the lives and health of women at greater risk by compelling them to depend on unsafe and illegal abortion.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/2022/10/22/abortion-and-science/

22.10.2022

Irish doctor says “women will die” if Roe v. Wade overturned in U.S.

MAY 23, 2022
CBS NEWS

Dublin, Ireland — Americans are waiting for a final Supreme Court decision that could overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling making abortion legal nationwide. If the justices do overturn the 1973 ruling, it would see the U.S. buck the international trend, as other countries have been making the procedure more widely available.

CBS News senior foreign correspondent Holly Williams recently visited Ireland, which is one of those countries, and met Amy Callahan, who shared her own difficult experience.

Continued: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/abortion-law-us-supreme-court-ireland-mothers-doctor-on-life-illegal-abortion/

23.05.2022

fatal fetal abnormality

Ireland – Holohan moves to address concerns about 12-week abortion limit

Holohan moves to address concerns about 12-week abortion limit
Doctors fearful of criminalisation as women present at 11 weeks’ gestation

Mon, Jan 28, 2019
Jennifer Bray

The chief medical officer, Tony Holohan, has moved to address concerns about doctors performing terminations beyond the 12-week legal limit.

Abortion up until 12 weeks’ gestation became legal at the start of the month, but concerns have been raised that women who present at 11 weeks’ gestation may take more than a week to complete the procedure.

Continued: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/holohan-moves-to-address-concerns-about-12-week-abortion-limit-1.3772460

Abortion, Newly Legal in Ireland, Faces Old Roadblocks

Abortion, Newly Legal in Ireland, Faces Old Roadblocks

By Ceylan Yeginsu
Jan. 28, 2019

DUBLIN — The abortion clinic’s website pops up at the top of a Google search for “free ultrasound,” its content and color scheme mimicking the government’s new support service for unplanned pregnancy.

“Looking for abortion advice?” “How far along am I?” The bright orange speech bubbles attached to stock images of smiling medical experts purport to inform women about abortion options that became legally available in Ireland on Jan. 1.

Continued: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/28/world/europe/ireland-abortion.html

Ireland – Opinion: ‘The debate on abortion isn’t over and don’t expect that it ever will be’

Opinion: 'The debate on abortion isn't over and don't expect that it ever will be'
The experience in the US shows that the divisive abortion debate will continue, writes Larry Donnelly.

Thu Jan 17, 2019
Larry Donnelly Law lecturer, NUI Galway

SOME READERS MIGHT be hoping for a break from this divisive debate, now that the legislation has been introduced and abortion services are being rolled out across Ireland for the first time.

Of course, that follows last May’s referendum in which the Irish people overwhelmingly opted to repeal the Eighth Amendment and, tacitly in so doing, to approve mooted legislation permitting abortion for the first 12 weeks of a person’s pregnancy.

Continued: https://www.thejournal.ie/readme/opinion-the-debate-on-abortion-is-not-over-nor-will-it-ever-be-4439441-Jan2019/

17.01.2019

Ireland – Call for national coordinator sought to oversee abortion services

Call for national coordinator sought to oversee abortion services

Thursday, 10 Jan 2019

The Chair of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has said members would like to see a national coordinator appointed in the Health Service Executive to oversee the country's abortion services.

The institute held an Extraordinary General Meeting last night to discuss a motion regarding risk to safety of patients due to inadequate preparation regarding the implementation of abortion services.

Continued: https://www.rte.ie/news/2019/0110/1022335-abortion-services-co-ordinator/

10.01.2019

Featured

News

conscientious objection

Dr Cliona Murphy

Dr Peter Boylan

Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Ireland introduces legal abortion services

Ireland introduces legal abortion services

As of Tuesday it is again legal for women in Ireland to seek to terminate their pregnancies following last year's referendum.

Tuesday 01 January 2019

Ireland has introduced its first abortion services today following a 2018 referendum decision to liberalise the country's ban on terminating pregnancies.

Laws were quickly passed following the referendum to ensure that as of midnight on Tuesday, the country's national health service was able to offer terminations free of charge.

Continued: https://news.sky.com/story/ireland-introduces-legal-abortion-services-11595963

01.01.2019

Ireland – Abortion services only available on fourth day

Abortion services only available on fourth day

Ellen Coyne
December 18 2018

Women seeking an abortion will have to wait three full days for the procedure, the chief medical officer has clarified. Angry pro-choice TDs said they had been led to believe that women would get an abortion on the third day and not have to wait until the fourth.

Abortion will be legal in Ireland from next month. There was controversy about the enforcment of a three-day waiting period between a doctor agreeing that a woman can have an abortion, and the procedure.

Continued: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/abortion-services-only-available-on-fourth-day-lswr9r8w6