Abortion is common healthcare: education and governance must now follow

AI Summary

The article argues that abortion care should be incorporated into routine healthcare planning, education, and governance in England and Wales. It cites record 2023 abortion rates and says decriminalisation must be accompanied by adequately staffed services and practical training for clinicians.

Howard rightly asks what is driving record abortion rates in England and Wales.1 Since publication, Office for National Statistics data have sharpened the picture: in 2023, 32.1% of recorded conceptions ended in abortion, the highest proportion on record.2 The causes are complex, but one conclusion is straightforward: abortion care cannot be treated as marginal or separate from routine healthcare planning.The removal of women from criminal law for ending their own pregnancies is an important shift towards healthcare rather than punishment. But decriminalisation alone does not deliver timely, compassionate, or equitable care. Services must be organised, staffed, and taught accordingly.Education is central. Abortion care is still too often learnt informally, unevenly, or not at all. Clinicians across sexual health, obstetrics and gynaecology, emergency care, anaesthesia, and theatres need practical understanding of pathways, complications, referral duties, and conscientious objection. This is not about imposing a moral view; it is about preventing lawful...