Woman who didn't want to look pregnant on holiday says she was sent abortion pills

Christian Concern has accused the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) of illegally posting abortion pills to a woman who said she did not want to look pregnant on her summer holiday. 

The woman, named only as 'Saskia', made the call to BPAS as part of an undercover investigation by Christian Concern into DIY abortions at home, which were permitted by the Government during lockdown. 

Regulations were relaxed after the start of the pandemic to allow women to receive abortion pills in the post after a telephone or video consultation with a doctor. 

In the video footage, Saskia can be heard telling a midwife from BPAS that she "didn't want to worry about looking pregnant on the beach" and that being pregnant was "emotionally draining". 

Saskia received the pills in the post a few days later. 

Abortion is permitted in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy in England, Scotland and Wales if doctors agree that having the baby poses a greater risk to physical or mental health than aborting the pregnancy. 

Christian Concern said its volunteer 'mystery clients' had all received pills in the post from BPAS and another abortion provider, Marie Stopes, despite providing false names, dates of birth and gestational dates. 

Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, said: "This is what the abortion industry wants. Abortion pills on demand, no questions asked. So it is sadly not a surprise that they are prepared to give out abortion pills for a bikini body. The life of the unborn child is worth less than a bikini selfie.

"In their world, the unborn child is inconvenient and irrelevant. The physical and emotional care of the woman also appears to be something they don't care about.

"Abortion pills through the post is wide open to abuse and women's lives endangered.

"The service needs to be stopped immediately and a thorough investigation needs to occur around the legality and practices of the two major abortion providers in the UK."

When BPAS was contacted about the allegations, a spokesperson for the organisation denied any wrongdoing.

In response to the claims, the spokesperson said: "Stop squandering precious NHS resources in a pointless and fraudulent exercise to prove what is already known - BPAS provides safe, compassionate and lawful care to every woman who needs us." 

Marie Stopes has said that the mystery volunteers "were able to access safe care without risk to themselves or their families at a time when the NHS is under huge pressure and many services are not available".

News
Christian widows in Nigeria hold fast to faith as they rebuild lives after violence
Christian widows in Nigeria hold fast to faith as they rebuild lives after violence

Hundreds of Christian widows in Nigeria’s Plateau State are putting their lives back together after losing husbands, homes and livelihoods to violence.

8 killed in attack on church in Jordan
8 killed in attack on church in Jordan

In response to the shooting, Church leaders vowed that Christians will not be driven from their homeland.

The Christian candidate who lost the election but won my respect
The Christian candidate who lost the election but won my respect

Helen Spiby-Vann secured just 63 votes in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, but her campaign made me reconsider the value of an explicitly Christian voice in politics, writes Christian Hacking.

Can we afford the society we have created?
Can we afford the society we have created?

Is spending spiralling out of control? Should the state be doing everything we expect of it, or can we simply no longer afford the society we have created?