UK House of Commons votes to decriminalize late-term abortions in England, Wales 

The United Kingdom took a big step toward decriminalizing abortion up until birth in England and Wales this week. 

The House of Commons voted 379-137 on Tuesday to approve legislation removing the country’s criminal penalty for late-term abortions. 

Under existing law, women can face up to a five-year prison sentence for having an illegal abortion. The United Kingdom typically permits abortion up to 24 weeks with health exemptions for later-term abortions. 

Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi introduced the pro-abortion proposal. 

“No woman facing one of the hardest moments of her life should face a criminal investigation,” she posted on X. “Today we have the opportunity to change that. I urge colleagues to support New Clause 1 and stand up for compassion and justice.” 

In the past three years, six women have gone to court in England for having illegal late-term abortions, BBC reports. These women typically had at-home chemical abortions instead of abortions in clinics. Some of these abortions happened after 30 weeks of pregnancy. 

Only three women have ever been convicted under the law since its passage in 1861, Reuters reports. 

“If this becomes law, fully developed babies up to term could be aborted by a woman with no consequences,” Conservative MP Rebecca Paul noted. 

Other opponents of the legislation warned it would endanger women and unborn children. 

“If offences that make it illegal for a woman to administer her own abortion at any gestation were repealed, such abortions would, de facto, become possible up to birth for any reason including abortions for sex-selective purposes, as women could, mistakenly, knowingly or under coercion, mislead abortion providers about their gestational age,” Right to Life UK said in a statement.  

Additionally, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales strongly opposed the proposal. 

“Keeping abortion within the criminal law provides some level of protection for women and unborn children,” its statement said. “Of course, where cases do arise under the current law, the authorities should act with both justice and mercy. 

“Pregnant women and their unborn babies both have inherent dignity, and as such, mothers need to be supported in welcoming new life.” 

The measure still needs approval from the House of Lords, NPR reports.