medical session.
• You are one of the minority of COCTOrS who believe that Women rather than doctors should be allowed to make the decision on abortion. What experience has led you to hold that position?
Mainly because 1 have had the privilege of listening to a large number of women who have been faced with the dilemma of an unwanted pregnancy and, in their own minds, they have come to the right solution. Listening to their reasons for wanting to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, I felt more and more that I was not really capable of making that decision TOT them, because the decision had nothing to do wiin neain or medical maners. but with social conditions and emotonal problems surrounaine woman. Nobody but she was in a betfer position to make a judgemen on those matters.
I think that doctors can provide information on medical dangers of termanne nearestancy or col tinuing with it, information on what abortion involves both immediately and in the long term and this might help the woman in refining her decision. But in my experience it has very seldom led to a change in her own attitude towards the pregnancy that she is carrying.
• How far into pregnancy do you think the choice should be for the woman!
I think that the woman has the right to choose throughout the whole of PETER HUNTINGFORD, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the London and St Bartholomew's Hospitals talks to Dr Berry Beaumont, chairperson of the medical session at the Tribunal. Peter Huntingford is a Labour Party member and key note speaker in the final PETER HUNTINGFORD her pregnancy. The problem is that the medical considerations change as the pregnancy advances and as long she is in possession information of the difference in having a pregnancy, let's say, of 20 weeks terminated, as opposed to one of eight weeks, I am quite happy for her to make the decision.
The risk changes very little until weeks., Inc never greater of terminating a pregnancy than a pregnancy continuing. How could it be? Therefore the woman must arways nave ine hilar accisiol in the matter.
Although the 1967 Act is restrictive already because it denies
RED WEEKLY 27 January 1977