Royal College Urges Obstetricians to Keep Silent If They Suspect Illegal Abortion

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and three other groups have urged doctors and nurses not to tip off the police if they suspect a woman has given herself an illegal abortion. The RCOG issued a statement on Monday in which it said, “The college is concerned at the increasing number of police investigations following later gestation abortion and pregnancy loss, and the impact this can have on women, who may be especially vulnerable and have suffered the distress of a later stage loss.” It went on to say, “The RCOG and the FSRH [Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare] have stated that it is never in the public interest to investigate a patient who is suspected of ending their own pregnancy, a view endorsed by over 60 organisations and professionals.”...