abortion Flashcards
abortion (statutory grounds)
Abortion is legal in Great Britain if two doctors decide in good faith that in relation to a particular pregnancy one or more of the grounds specified in the Abortion Act are met (1).
A - the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman greater than if the pregnancy were terminated: Abortion Act 1967 as amended, Section 1(1)(c).
B - the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman: Section 1(1)(b).
C - the pregnancy has not exceeded its 24th week and the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman: Section 1(1)(a).
D - the pregnancy has not exceeded its 24th week and the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of any existing child(ren) of the family of the pregnant woman: Section 1(1)(a).16
E - there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped: Section 1(1)(d).
The Act also permits abortion to be performed in an emergency if a doctor is of the opinion formed in good faith that termination is immediately necessary:
F - to save the life of the pregnant woman: Section 1(4)
G - to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman: Section 1(4)
The HSA1 form does not follow precisely the grounds set out in the Act. There are four grounds in
the Act, and five categories in the HSA1, as listed below. Categories C and D on the HSA1 form are
all contained within sub-paragraph (a) of the Act. The HSA categories are:
A the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman
greater than if the pregnancy were terminated;
B the termination is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental
health of the pregnant woman;
C the pregnancy has NOT exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of the pregnancy
would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or
mental health of the pregnant woman;
D the pregnancy has NOT exceeded its 24th week and that the continuance of the pregnancy
would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or
mental health of any existing child(ren) of the family of the pregnant woman;
E there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or
mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped”.
