A recent survey has revealed that growing numbers of medical students are opposed to carrying out abortions. The study, published in the Journal of Medical Ethics, found that almost a third of students would not perform an abortion for a ‘congenitally malformed’ baby after 24 weeks and a quarter would not perform an abortion for failed contraception before 24 weeks. Abortion is currently allowed after 24 weeks if there is a ‘substantial risk’ of the baby having a ‘serious handicap’, but this requirement has been interpreted to include even treatable conditions such as a cleft palate or a club foot. There have been almost 18,000 such abortions since 2002. Of these 1,189 were aborted after 24 weeks. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has voiced concern about the ‘slow but growing problem of trainees opting out of training in the termination of pregnancy and is therefore concerned about the abortion service of the future’.
Pray: for our young doctors as they make choices that effect the lives of God’s creation. (Gen.9:5)