England’s Abortion ‘Pills By Post’ Scheme Has Been Extended

In a move that will help tens of thousands of women end their pregnancy in the privacy and comfort of their own home, the government’s “pills by post” abortion scheme will now be available indefinitely for women in England.

The government had previously decided to stop the scheme, which was started as a result of lockdown, however, on Mar. 30, in a free vote in the House of Commons, MPs voted 215 to 188 to keep the “pills by post” abortion scheme, report the Guardian.

Many Conservative MPs voted with Labour MPs and other parties to ensure that the “pills by post” scheme would be maintained in England, with 72 Tories and 126 Labour members voting to keep the scheme, including Jess Phillips, shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding and Rosena Allin-Khan, shadow minister for mental health. 175 Tories and four Labour MPs voted to end the scheme.

What Is The ‘Pills By Post Scheme’ And When Was It Rolled Out?

The “pills by post” scheme allowed the termination of pregnancies up to 10 weeks via two pills delivered by post alongside a telephone consultation with a GP or a medical professional. Introduced in March 2020, the scheme was repeatedly extended for its contribution towards reducing wait times for abortion access by 50% since 2019, as per the British Pregnancy Advisory Service.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the British Medical Association, and the Royal College of Midwives spoke out about the potential scrapping of the scheme. As per The Guardian, Clare Murphy, Chief Executive of the BPAS, said, “It would force vulnerable women in the most difficult of circumstances to resort to illegal methods again and face criminal sanctions as a result.”

Prior to the pandemic, women seeking an abortion of a pregnancy under 10 weeks needed to attend an in-person consultation at a clinic, and had to take the first of two pills for a medical abortion at a clinic. The second would be taken at home within 48 hours.

Does This Change Only Apply To England?

The Welsh Assembly had already confirmed they would be permanently keeping the “pills by post” scheme, arguing that it is safer for vulnerable women and girls. “I am satisfied that the arrangements are safe and bring significant benefits to women and girls who wish to access abortion services, with reduced waiting times enabling them to access the help they need more quickly than would have been possible under the previous arrangements”, stated Eluned Morgan, Health Minister for Wales, as per The Guardian.