Dear Member of Parliament,

When the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill reaches Report Stage on 22nd October you will have the opportunity to improve women's reproductive healthcare in Britain for decades to come.

MPs from the three main parties have tabled amendments to modernise the 1967 Abortion Act in England, Wales and Scotland, in line with government sexual health policies, which aim to provide medical care closer to home, with greater patient choice and extend the Act to Northern Ireland.

One of the above amendments, New Clause 9, will give women the choice of completing the second stage of an Early Medical Abortion (EMA) at home, in comfort and privacy, with continued medical advice and support, as women routinely do in the USA and many European countries.

EMA is a non-invasive, non-surgical early abortion, taking place from up to 9 weeks (28-63 days) of pregnancy using a two-drug regimen. This method of abortion, is favoured by many women in the UK and has increased national capacity for the provision of early abortion.

However, the law as currently interpreted by the Department of Health in this area, works against the best interests of women by requiring both medications to be administered within a hospital or clinic approved by the Secretary of State, requiring two separate visits for medication. Having to return for the second medication is clinically unnecessarily burdensome for women and costly for NHS to provide.

Charities including Marie Stopes International (MSI) and BPAS, the UK's leading abortion providers, speak with thousands of women every year who, if given the choice, would prefer to take the second medication at home, rather than having to return to the clinic.

MSI surveyed 184 clients who had opted for EMA and found that a staggering 91 per cent said they were confident taking the second pill at home and would welcome having a choice.

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee recently took evidence on this subject and agreed that ‘with appropriate follow-up procedure in place there is no evidence relating to safety, effectiveness and patient acceptability that should serve to deter Parliament ...from amending the 1967 Act ... to allow the second dose of medication to be taken at home’*.