Alliance for Choice

The type of abortion service available will depend on how many weeks pregnant you are.

• Early abortion services for pregnancies less than 12 weeks are fully established.

• Medical abortion is available for pregnancies up to 24 weeks (and over 24 weeks in limited circumstances).

• Surgical abortion is available for up to 20 weeks and work is ongoing to establish a service for pregnancies up to 24 weeks.

• For abortion services that are not yet available in Northern Ireland, you can access free abortion care in Great Britain.

Legally: You can qualify for an abortion between 12 and 24 weeks if ‘continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman which is greater than if the pregnancy were terminated.’ In plain speak this can be interpreted as any pregnancy is of greater risk to a person carried to full term than it is to end it early, which is medically always true due to the risks of carrying a pregnancy to term and labour.

12-24 weeks abortion care needs signed off by two healthcare professionals but it DOES NOT NEED TO BE A SERIOUS ILLNESS OR FOETAL ABNORMALITY, it can be for demonstrable mental health or physical health impacts. If a medical professional refuses to offer you care, they are obliged to refer you to someone who will offer care.

HOWEVER!! Not all medical providers know the law - so for now if you have any difficulties please call us on 07397 902774 and someone from AfC will help you.

All gestations can access NHS-funded abortion care in England. The UK Government have committed to cover the cost of abortion care for women from Northern Ireland who are treated in England. You can self-refer to abortion services in England, and do not need to tell your GP if you don’t want to. 

Where abortion services are not yet available in Northern Ireland, you can access free abortion care in Great Britain.

You will not have to pay for travel and accommodation.

To access these services in Great Britain, contact the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS)   central booking system at 0345 730 4030

To qualify for free care you must:

1. reside in NI (with a BT postcode), and
2. be registered with a NI GP (with a BT postcode).

You must supply the above detail to receive funded treatment (they will not contact your GP unless you say we can).

The travel expenses of all abortion care patients will be paid for. 

Depending on clinical need, the following expenses may be met also:

• your overnight accommodation

• the travel and overnight accommodation of a companion
  
  If you need an Abortion Doula please call 07397 902774

  An abortion doula is often not medically trained, but they do provide emotional support before, during or after an abortion. Someone getting an abortion may need to walk into a clinic, potentially through anti-choice protesters; waiting in the clinic; receive the 1st medication or the procedure; exit the building and possibly face more protesters; take the second medication the day after and administer proper aftercare. An abortion doula will offer act as their support system through any or all of that process.