Round-up of reproductive choice in the news this month

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Dear John,

We are only half-way through the month, but so much has already happened in the world of reproductive rights.

Here’s our June update:
* Powerful interview with an Irish midwife working in abortion care.
* Pride month: IVF policies discriminate against same-sex couples – join our Fertility Equality event tomorrow.
* How much longer is “not much longer” before abortion services are fully commissioned in Northern Ireland?
* “No woman should feel pressured into accepting a specific form of contraception.”
* Acceptability of telemedical abortion care - new research.

"In 2012, a woman called Savita Halappanavar died in an Irish hospital after being denied an abortion. It was the hospital where I'd just started working as a newly-qualified Midwife."

Caoilfhionn Morris, a Midwife Practitioner at BPAS, grew-up in Ireland and saw first-hand the impact of anti-choice legislation.

We cannot recommend enough taking watching this incredibly powerful interview ([link removed]) with Caoilfhionn in which she explains why she is passionate about providing abortion care, and discusses the ongoing harm caused by restrictions in Ireland.

To support BPAS and the women that we care for, you can become a Friend of BPAS from as little as £2 a month.
Become a Friend of BPAS ([link removed])
Pride month: NHS IVF policies discriminate against same-sex couples – join our Fertility Equality event tomorrow.

June is Pride month, and we have released the results of our investigation ([link removed]) into NHS-funded fertility care for female same-sex couples, highlighting the additional, hidden financial burdens they face.

Policies which force same-sex couples to spend tens of thousands of pounds to “prove” their fertility status before becoming eligible for NHS-funded treatment are antithetical to the most fundamental principle of the NHS - that care should be provided according to need and not ability to pay.

Join BPAS Fertility and current fertility patients Whitney and Megan Bacon-Evans for a discussion about the fight for fertility equality, TOMORROW, 6.30pm on Zoom.

For more info and to book your free place, click
here. ([link removed])
How much longer is "not much longer" before abortion services are fully commissioned in Northern Ireland?

Statistics in June by the Government show that in 2020, during a global pandemic, 371 women ([link removed]) from Northern Ireland were forced to travel to England and Wales for abortion care.

In April, MPs in Westminster passed regulations which empower the Secretary of State in Westminster to direct local bodies in Northern Ireland to commission abortion. But progress has yet to be made. This month, the Secretary of State has said ([link removed]) he is “not going to wait very much longer” before using these powers – but how much longer is not much longer?

Get involved in the campaign for free, safe, legal, local abortion care in NI – support Alliance for Choice NI. ([link removed])
"No woman should feel pressurised to accept a specific form of contraception"

Research published ([link removed]) by BPAS, Shine ALOUD UK, Decolonising Contraception and Lancaster University into the provision of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) in the UK has found that almost half of LARC users felt under pressure from medical professionals to accept these highly effective methods of contraception.

Marginalised groups, including included Black and people of colour, teenagers, women with a history of state intervention, and those with disabilities, are targeted for LARC uptake due to assumptions about their capacity to avoid unwanted pregnancy or suitability for motherhood.

Read the full report here. ([link removed])
Acceptability of telemedical abortion care - new research

Following the introduction of telemedical abortion, the Centre for Reproductive Research and Communication (CRRC) at BPAS surveyed 1,144 clients to evaluate their satisfaction and experience of at-home early medical abortion using our Pills By Post service.

Key findings included:
* 97% were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with their experience
* 78% said that if they needed an abortion again in the future, they would choose telemedicine.

If you would like to read more about the CRRC’s research, you can access the full publication here ([link removed](21)00143-8/fulltext) or visit our website ([link removed]) .

We are *still* awaiting announcements on the future of telemedical abortion care from the governments in England, Wales, and Scotland. Fingers crossed we will soon have some positive updates!
That’s all for this month! Now excuse us while we go enjoy a Fab lolly in front of a very large fan...

Best wishes,

The BPAS team


** Support our work - become a Friend of BPAS
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BPAS is a not-for-profit reproductive healthcare organisation helping more than 100,000 women every year. We are proud to provide high quality, compassionate care to every woman who needs us – but it is only possible with the generous help of our supporters.

You can support our work and the women we care for, with a monthly donation from as little as £2 a month.
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