22. ABORTION IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE US

Question 1

1. Until recently, what stance did Northern Ireland have on Abortion?

Answer 1

• abortion was illegal in Northern Ireland
• abortion was seen as equivalent to murder
• unless the woman’s life was at risk
• or if continuing the pregnancy would cause serious
  physical or mental health effects to the woman

Question 2

2. What were not grounds for legal abortions in Northern Ireland?

Answer 2

• rape
• incest
• fatal foetal abnormalities

NB:
- this led to a number of women leaving the country to
have an abortion
- they mainly fled to the UK

Question 3

3. What happened in 2018 in Northern Ireland?

Answer 3

• they voted in a Referendum to make abortion legal
• 66.4% were in support of this

Question 4

4. What happened in Northern Ireland in October of 2019?

Answer 4

• abortion was decriminalised
• it became lawful

Question 5

5. What are the Abortion Regulations in Northern Ireland since 2020?

Answer 5

• abortions can happen on request for up to 12 weeks of
  the pregnancy
• abortions can happen at 12-24 weeks of the pregnancy
  in certain circumstances

Question 6

6. What are the circumstances that legal abortions can happen in Northern Ireland after 12 weeks and up to 24 weeks?

Answer 6

• severe foetal abnormalities
• serious risks to the woman’s health

Question 7

7. What happened in 1973 in the US?

Answer 7

• the Supreme Court guaranteed the right to abortion
• this happened in the Roe v. Wade case

Question 8

8. What happened in June of 2022 in the US?

Answer 8

• the new conservative Supreme Court majority
  overturned the right to abortion altogether

THIS LED TO:
- many states moving to ban or severely limit abortion