Health staff in Jersey are unwilling to perform elective abortions beyond 12 weeks and six days, it has emerged – despite plans to increase the legal pregnancy termination limit to 21 weeks and six days.
Proposed changes to Jersey’s Termination of Pregnancy Law were set out earlier this year in a consultation inviting Islanders to give feedback.
Currently, abortions in Jersey are only allowed up to 12 weeks and six days if the pregnancy is causing “distress”.
If approved, the new law would make it legal for Islanders to have an abortion for any reason up to 21 weeks and six days of pregnancy.
However, the consultation revealed that terminations beyond 12 weeks and six days would still not be available locally – even if the law changes.
The consultation stated: “There will be a difference between what is permitted in law and what is provided in Jersey because we do not currently have the facilities and skills required to safely deliver later stage terminations in Jersey.”
But following queries from the JEP, an Assistant Health Minister revealed that no health staff are prepared to undertake terminations after 12 weeks and six days gestation unless medically necessary.
The 12-week and six-day abortion limit has previously raised concerns , as many people may not realise they are pregnant until after this point – particularly those using hormonal contraception or with irregular periods.
Deputy Andy Howell, who has responsibility for women’s health, explained: “Jersey is a small jurisdiction with a small general hospital which is unable to provide many specialist or higher risk procedures.
“This includes late-stage terminations which, in the UK, are generally performed in a small number of specialist centres with specially trained, experienced staff.
“Late-stage terminations can be traumatic for the health care professional as well as the woman, and currently no Health and Care Jersey staff are prepared to undertake terminations after 12 weeks and six days gestation unless the woman’s physical or mental health is at risk, or there are foetal abnormalities.
She added that, even if there were professionals in Jersey who are willing to provide late-stage terminations, the small number of cases each year would make it “very difficult for staff to gain sufficient experience and maintain the necessary skills”.
Deputy Howell said: “We want to amend the law to permit late-stage terminations and help address associated stigma, but we will not risk the health of women by setting up a potentially unsafe service.”
The response to a freedom-of-information request by the JEP also revealed that there are currently no designated hospital facilities for Islanders undergoing second trimester terminations of pregnancy on non-medical grounds.
The FOI response said: “If the second trimester termination is being performed on medical grounds, women are admitted to the Family Room (bereavement suite) on Labour Ward where they are looked after by midwives.
“This would be an inappropriate place of care for women undergoing a termination of pregnancy on non-medical grounds.”
It comes amid increasing scrutiny of Jersey’s abortion process, with a £10,000 independent review quietly published last year uncovering a raft of issues in need of addressing – from “distressing” waits to confidentiality concerns and what was described as a “dehumanising” system for seeking financial help.
