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Dear John,

NI abortion regulations finally passed in Parliament!!

Today, Parliament passed the regulations that govern abortion care in Northern Ireland. This was the final Parliamentary step and it passed with a vote of 253 to 136.


We want to thank all of the MPs who voted in favour of the regulations, as well as all of our supporters who have joined the campaign over a number of years. To celebrate the decriminalisation of abortion in NI, we are sending a copy of this #NowForNI print to everyone who signs up to support our work by becoming a Friend of BPAS.

To join Friends of BPAS from just £2 a month and receive this inspiring print, sign up below:
Become a Friend of BPAS ([link removed][UNIQID])
In other news….

Fertility services begin resume

Last month fertility clinics were informed that they could reopen in the following weeks, as long as social distancing measures were in place. The pausing of fertility treatment, while necessary to combat COVID-19, has left thousands of patients worried about their chance to conceive. On BBC Women’s Hour this week Dr Zeynep Gurtin and the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority discussed how clinics can begin to reopen and how they will support patients at this incredibly confusing and difficult time – listen here ([link removed][UNIQID]) .


Campaigners call for greater protection for pregnant BAME women during COVID-19

As research from Public Health England confirms that BAME individuals are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, there is a call for greater protection for BAME pregnant women ([link removed][UNIQID]) during the response. Recent data shows that 55% of pregnant women ([link removed][UNIQID]) in the UK admitted to hospital between 1 March to 14 April with coronavirus were from BAME backgrounds. While all pregnant women are currently classed as clinically vulnerable, campaigners are calling for BAME expectant mothers to be classed as “clinically extremely vulnerable” to force employers to provide better safeguards.

A compelling video report from the US in the Guardian explores BAME women’s experience of pregnancy and labour in the US, with one woman stating that they were “afraid to go into the hospital and this was before even now COVID-19, now it’s scarier.’’ Watch the full report here ([link removed][UNIQID]) .

Finally, if you are in the UK and are pregnant or trying to conceive during the current pandemic, we would like to hear from you! To take part in our survey, click here ([link removed][UNIQID]) .

That’s all for now – but watch this space, because we will have important news about the campaign to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales very soon…


Thank you as always for your support.

Best wishes,

The bpas team
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** Become a friend!
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You can support our work defending and extending reproductive rights by becoming a friend of bpas, from as little as £2 per month.

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You can support our work by visiting the friends of bpas shop! We have tote bags, pin badges and much more...

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** Our work
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We Trust Women

Under a law from 1861 any woman, anywhere in the UK, can go to prison for ending a pregnancy without the permission of two doctors. MPs support change, but we need the opportunity to make it happen. We are considering several legislative routes, including one based on the forthcoming Domestic Abuse Bill.
Preventing clinic protests

Anti-abortion activism targeted at clinics is on the rise in the UK. We are working to introduce buffer zones around abortion clinics to protect women and staff from intimidation and harassment. So far two buffer zones have been introduced, and more are in the pipeline.
Fighting the two-child benefits cap

The two-child benefits cap pushes families into poverty and impacts women's reproductive decisions. We are working with other UK charities to fight it. Read our briefing here ([link removed][UNIQID]) .
Just Say Non!

Our campaign for accessible emergency contraception has seen prices slashed across major pharmacy chains. We're now working to make it available straight from the pharmacy shelf, without a mandatory consultation – as already happens in the USA, Canada, and many European countries.
Improving access to contraception

We're working with pharmacists nationwide to improve access to several methods of contraception, including the injection and the pill.
Working with women in prisons

Our contraceptive counselling & well woman advice service in Europe's largest women’s prison, HMP Bronzefield, was an RCNi Nurse Awards ([link removed][UNIQID]) finalist. We provide confidential, non-judgemental counselling & education to aid women's wellbeing & rehabilitation.
Decriminalisation further afield

We’ve been working with pro-choice campaigners and the governments of the Isle of Man and Gibraltar to change their laws outlawing abortion and help them provide care for their citizens.
Wrisk

Women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy are bombarded with public health messages, for example about what to eat, drink, how much they should weigh, and what medications they should or shouldn’t take. The WRISK project ([link removed][UNIQID]) aims to understand and improve the communication of risk in pregnancy, to make things better for women.

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