XN000022-1980-04-23 — Page 2

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 1980

LAW ON ABORTION TO BE AMENDED

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TWO BILLS AMENDING THE EXISTING LAW PERTAINING TO ABORTION AND RELATED OFFENCES, AND SUPPRESSING THE PUBLICATION OF ADVERTISEMENTS RELATING TO ILLEGAL ABORTIONS, WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE GOVERNMENT GAZETTE ON FRIDAY (APRIL 25).

THEY ARE THE OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON (AMENDMENT) BILL 1980 AND THE UNDESIRABLE MEDICAL ADVERTISEMENTS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1980.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT UNDER THE EXISTING LAW AN ABORTION MAY BE CARRIED OUT LEGALLY IF TWO DOCTORS ARE OF THE OPINION, FORMED IN GOOD FAITH, THAT THE CONTINUANCE OF THE PREGNANCY WOULD INVOLVE RISK TO THE LIFE OF THE PREGNANT WOMAN, OR OF INJURY TO HER PHYSICAL OR MENTAL HEALTH, GREATER THAN IF THE PREGNANCY WERE TERMINATED.

+THE BILLS DO NOT PROPOSE ANY RADICAL CHANGE,+ SAID THE SPOKESMAN. +THEIR AIM IS TO TIDY UP THE EXISTING PROVISIONS, AND TO SPECIFY CERTAIN OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH AN ABORTION MAY BE CARRIED OUT LEGALLY.+

HE STRESSED +SUCH ABORTIONS MUST STILL TAKE PLACE IN APPROVED HOSPITALS OR CLINICS.+

IN ADDITION, NEW RESTRICTIONS ARE PROPOSED TO PROHIBIT ABORTIONS IN THE LATER STAGES OF A PREGNANCY.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THE NEW PROVISIONS IN THE OFFENCES AGAINST THE PERSON (AMENDMENT) BILL ARE FIRSTLY, THAT A LEGAL ABORTION MAY BE CARRIED OUT IF TWO DOCTORS ARE OF THE OPINION THAT THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL RISK THAT THE CHILD, UPON BIRTH, WOULD HAVE SUCH PHYSICAL OR MENTAL ABNORMALITIES AS TO BE SERIOUSLY HANDICAPPED.+

+SECONDLY, IT IS PROPOSED THAT A LEGAL ABORTION MAY BE CARRIED OUT WHEN THE PREGNANT WOMAN IS UNDER THE AGE OF 17 YEARS.+

+IN SUCH CASES, PARENTAL CONSENT WILL BE REQUIRED IN THE SAME MANNER AS IT IS FOR OTHER OPERATIONS.+

THE THIRD SITUATION IN WHICH IT IS PROPOSED THAT A LEGAL ABORTION MAY BE PERFORMED, SAID THE SPOKESMAN, IS IN CASES WHERE A PREGNANCY IS THE RESULT OF INCEST, RAPE OR RAPE-RELATED OFFENCES *PROVIDED THAT THE WOMAN CONCERNED HAS MADE A REPORT TO THE POLICE THAT SHE WAS A VICTIM OF AN OFFENCE OF INCEST OR RAPE, OR A RAPE-RELATED OFFENCE WITHIN THREE MONTHS OF THE ALLEGED OFFENCE.+

UNDER THE EXISTING LAW, THERE IS NOTHING TO PREVENT AN ABORTION BEING PERFORMED AT ANY STAGE OF A PREGNANCY. IN ORDER TO PROVIDE STATUTORY PROTECTION FOR A VIABLE FOETUS AND ALSO FOR THE MOTHER (IN VIEW OF THE GREATER RISK TO THE MOTHER INVOLVED IN AN ABORTION PERFORMED AT AN ADVANCED STAGE OF PREGNANCY), IT IS PROPOSED IN THE BILL THAT NO ABORTION SHOULD BE CARRIED OUT WHERE A PREGNANCY IS OF MORE THAN 24 WEEKS DURATION, EXCEPT IN CASES WHERE IT IS NECESSARY TO DO SO TO SAVE THE LIFE OF THE MOTHER.

/+ IT IS