Abortion Act

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Abortion Act 1967

Before the abortion act, it was illegal for women to have abortions. People looked down on single mothers, or couples who had a child born out of wedlock. Women in these situations would either be condemned to a life of misery or they would take the risk of having a dangerous back-street abortion. The law was passed in the social interests of women.

Abortion is legal if two doctors think:

The pregnancy would endanger the life of the pregnant woman

The risk to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman is too much

The physical or mental health of the existing children would be damaged by the arrival of a new baby

There would be a serious lack of physical/mental health handicap to the baby if the pregnancy continued

In the media:

"If these walls could talk" - a 1996 movie about 3 different abortion scenarios in the 1950's, 1970's and 1990's

"Vera Drake" - a 2005 film about back street abortions in the 50's

"Juno" - a 2007 film about a teenage pregnancy and adoption