Young women are disproportionately represented among women applying for late abortions. Almost one in three who apply for the procedure in their teens do so at 20 weeks.
Ann Furedi, chief executive at the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, which undertakes more than 70 per cent of all abortions in England and Wales carried out between 20 and 24 weeks, said there was a "huge problem" with delays caused by the lack of doctors. Young women ended up being forced to wait until they were over the legal limit of 24 weeks, she said.
Furedi, who made the comments at a seminar held by pro-choice charity Education for Choice, said: "Young people think they have time but they often end up being pushed over the legal limit."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
