Some women in Wales could be forced to continue unwanted pregnancies due to inadequate surgical abortion care, a senior obstetrician has stated. Dr Ed Dorman, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, said he treats women from Wales every other week at a British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) clinic in London.
Women from Wales reportedly face the additional "trauma" of travelling to England for care after 18 weeks of pregnancy. BPAS has previously indicated that approximately 175 women from Wales travel to England for surgical abortion care annually.
Dr Jane Dickson, representing the British Society of Abortion Care Providers (BSACP) in Wales, highlighted that surgical abortions, which can offer quicker recovery times, are rarely available in Wales. She added that conscientious objection by staff, where individuals refuse to participate in care on moral or religious grounds, is "widespread" in Wales and is worsening the provision situation.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) has called on the Welsh government to invest in the workforce required to deliver these services. The Welsh government has stated it is working with NHS Wales to identify and address barriers to providing local surgical abortion services, with improving abortion services being a priority for the deputy minister for women's health.