Thank you for contacting me about abortion in Northern Ireland.
I do appreciate that this is a hugely emotive issue and one which has always been a free vote issue in the House.
A consultation was held on the proposed framework and on the specific point about severe fetal impairment (SFI) or fatal fetal abnormality (FFA), the consensus among most healthcare bodies, women’s groups and statutory bodies was that access to abortion services should be permitted without time limit in both cases of SFI and FFA, and that decisions to terminate in these circumstances should be made by the pregnant woman or girl.
I know that making a decision regarding abortion care can be an extremely difficult time. Women need to be supported to make an informed decision, taking into consideration all their options, with medical professionals offering impartial advice.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.