image source, Getty Images
- author, kate morgan
- role, community correspondent
-
A woman who had to travel from Wales to England for an abortion says the experience has made her even more traumatized.
Katie, 35, from Cardiff, was excited to be pregnant with her first child, but routine tests revealed a serious abnormality that meant her baby would not survive.
A local abortion would have meant giving birth in a labor ward full of mothers and newborn babies, and Katie would have had to cross the border for the surgery.
In Wales, most health boards refer women who need a surgical abortion after 18 weeks for treatment in England.
The Welsh Government said health care providers are expected to ensure access to “evidence-based support for reproductive choices, including abortion”.
“I couldn't receive the medical care I needed”
Katie and her partner were told the baby was unlikely to survive.
She said she experienced further trauma when she was over 17 weeks pregnant and was told that abortions were not available on her side of the border.
“It was actually really shocking and really upsetting to be told that it wasn't an option for me in Wales, that I wouldn't have the medical care I needed in my home country and that I would have to go to a strange place,” she said. said.
Instead, her only option was to deliver her baby in a delivery room surrounded by the mother and newborn.
After contacting the British Pregnancy Advice Service (BPAS), Katie opted to undergo surgery under general anesthesia in Bournemouth, spending 'four figures' on accommodation and waiting four days to bring her baby's remains home. .
“Obviously you're devastated by the loss of your baby, but we're looking forward to it,” she said.
“I'd love to have another baby one day, and I'm telling you now that the only reason that's possible is because I was able to have a less traumatic surgery.
“If I didn't have that choice, I think the impact on me psychologically would have been much worse,” she added.
In Wales, England and Scotland, abortion is legal up to 24 weeks of pregnancy with the approval of two doctors.
Viv Rose, who has run a BPAS clinic in Cardiff for 19 years, said it was difficult to tell a woman over 18 weeks old that she would have to travel for treatment.
“It's frightening to be honest, because every single Welsh woman who needs an abortion after 18 weeks has to be sent to a specialist clinic, usually in Richmond, London,” she said. .
She added that around 100 women from South Wales are referred for treatment in the UK each year.
The Cardiff center accepts NHS referrals from 12 weeks onwards and can perform abortions under conscious sedation for up to 18 weeks.
What is surgical abortion?
- Surgical abortion involves surgery to remove the pregnancy from the uterus.
- It may be done using local anesthesia, conscious sedation, or general anesthesia.
- According to the NHS, surgical methods can be performed by vacuum or suction, or dilation and evacuation.
In Wales, most health boards refer patients from 18 weeks onwards to BPAS for treatment in England, with Hywel Dda offering treatment at Glanwilli Hospital for up to 19 weeks and six days. Ta.
“Sometimes I would cry here because women would turn to us and say, ‘Well then you have to carry on with your pregnancy.’ In fact, I would rather carry on with my pregnancy than travel to London. They feel it's easier to continue “to get fired,'' she said.
Ms Rose described the “knock-on effect” of women having to talk to family and friends about juggling work and childcare.
“I often get asked, 'Why can't I access it here?'” And I don't know. why can't you? ” she added.
Dr Caroline Scharf, a gynecologist working for the NHS, said second-trimester abortions were one of the many areas where women's healthcare was lagging behind.
“There aren't that many women out there, but these women really need help and it's wrong not to have access to treatment in Wales,” she added.
The general secretary of the British Association of Abortion Providers (BSACP) said that while NHS staff are undoubtedly overworked and services are under strain, “we are integrating abortion care into our work plans, and this is how we can improve this routine NHS service.” Re-establishing it would mean training future doctors could be difficult, he added. If there is a desire to do so, it will be done. ”
The Welsh Women's Equality Party has launched a campaign calling on the Health Secretary to prioritize abortion care and ensure it is available on the NHS in Wales.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to improving health services for women and girls.”
“A national clinical director for women’s health has been appointed who will lead the development of the NHS Wales women’s health plan,” they added.
