Marie Stopes International in the news

=SubHeading>New abortion statistics released

Recent abortion statistics issued by the Department of Health show the number of abortions in 2007 as 198,500 - a 2.5% increase (4,800 cases) on 2006. The under 16 years rate was 4.4 per 1,000 and the under 18 years rate was 19.8 per 1,000 women, both higher than in 2006. Marie Stopes International helps over one third of all women in England and Wales with abortion.

Click here to listen to Liz Davies, MSI's  Director of UK and West Europe give her views on the new abortion statistics.

Department of Health website, featuring a summary of the new stats

>Controversial documentary airs on Channel 4

A major investigative documentary aired in the UK on 17 October. Dispatches explored the current debates around abortion in the light of the Science and Technology Committee’s investigation, the impending Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, which it predicted would attract abortion amendments and the 40th anniversary of the Abortion Act (1967) (October 27th). Marie Stopes International was heavily represented in the controversial film, having given filmmakers unprecedented access to film in its centres. MSI’s Liz Davies and Dr John Spencer both gave face to face interviews for the film.

Marie Stopes International Global Safe Abortion Conference

The Marie Stopes International Global Conference on Safe Abortions: Whose Right? Whose Choice? Who Cares? Attracted considerable advance publicity ahead of its October 23rd. The Catholic Times [23 September] reported Dana Hovig, Marie Stopes International’s Chief Executive saying

The feature adds that Dana believes that for this conference to be considered a success, it will require strong participation from speakers and delegates who will provide a leadership role in carrying this information to their homes and implementing new ideas towards progress.

Another major feature article in The Observer [7 October] examined fears around abortion rights in the US and asked Could it happen here? The reporter stated that through the Global Conference, Marie Stopes International was leading a fight back against the forces of the opposition and confronting pro-choice complacency head on.

Parliamentary Science and Technology Committee reviews abortion

Parliament has established a committee to review scientific and technological aspects of abortion provision. Marie Stopes International, together with a number of other interested parties and organisations from both sides of the debate gave written evidence to the committee in September, and Liz Davies, Director of UK Operations gave oral evidence at Westminster in November. The media is following some of the new debates closely. In September, Nursing Times reported that among other aspects of the debate the Committee were examining whether the law should be changed to enable nurses to perform early surgical and medical terminations of pregnancy: Instead, they can only administer drugs prescribed by a doctor involved in the medical terminations. The report suggested that the proposal has primarily been fuelled by the fact that medical terminations performed within nine weeks have been delayed or denied because of the long waiting periods for women. With more qualified service providers including trained nurses, this delay or denial of a less invasive procedure could be greatly minimized. Sue Baldock of Marie Stopes International was quoted: