The legal definition of abortion is "expulsion of the foetus before it is viable." An abortion can be carried out up until the 24th week, as after that week, it is possible for a premature baby to survive with heavy intervention and support. In 1991, the abortion law was changed from 28 weeks to 24 weeks, meaning that women couldn’t have such a “last-minute” abortion.
If an abortion is carried out after the 24th week, this is seen as illegal, and a person carrying this out could perhaps be charged with murder, or at the very least manslaughter.
There are 3 main opinions on abortion; Pro choice, Moderate Pro life, and Extreme Pro Life. Pro Choice believe that the women should be able to decide whether or not they have an abortion. Pro Choice is not pro abortion, they do not encourage all women to have abortions, but they do encourage free choice. Extreme Pro Life completely disagrees with abortion, and will even go to the lengths of killing the surgeons who performed the abortions as they have “committed acts of great sin and evil. ”In 2008, on average, four in ten pregnant women have an abortion and this figure is on the rise. 70% of abortions are performed for free by the NHS, however, the rest are performed by private surgeons for £500 or more, who keep it confidential.
In the Roman Catholic faith, most forms of contraception are seen as “preventing God’s work”, and abortion is incredibly frowned upon, and in most cases, completely forbidden. It is extremely hard to get certain contraception that prevents the fertilised egg from being developed after conception, such as the “morning after pill”. Condoms are allowed, but are still hard to get hold of. However, they are not as heavily regarded as a sin even though it is seen as the taking of a life, by preventing it from ever existing in the first place.
The Church of England does not agree with abortions in most cases, but will allow certain methods of contraception. They will allow a condom to be...