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Abortion Informed Consent

EDM number 1592 in 2007-08, proposed by Angela Watkinson on 15/05/2008.
Categorised under the topics of Health services, Medical ethics and Mental health.

That this House notes that the Royal College of Psychiatrists, in response to a Government request and in view of the controversy over the risk to mental health of induced abortion, issued a new Position Statement on Women's Mental Health in Relation to Induced Abortion on 14th March 2008; further notes that this statement acknowledges that whilst the specific issue of whether or not induced abortion has harmful effects on women's mental health remains to be fully resolved, that nonetheless some studies identify a range of mental disorders following abortion; further notes the College's recommendation that healthcare professionals who assess or refer women who are requesting an abortion should assess for mental disorder and for risk factors that may be associated with its subsequent development; further notes the College's recognition that good practice in relation to abortion will include informed consent and that consent cannot be informed without the provision of adequate and appropriate information regarding the possible risks and benefits to physical and mental health; further notes that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill provides the opportunity to amend the Abortion Act 1967; and calls upon the Government to bring forward measures to ensure that women are adequately informed of the possible dangers of abortion as well as being provided with full details of the help available if they continue with their pregnancies.

This motion has been signed by a total of 12 MPs.

MPDateConstituencyPartyType
Angela Watkinson15/05/2008UpminsterConservativeProposed
Jim Dobbin15/05/2008Heywood and MiddletonLabourSeconded
Ann Winterton15/05/2008CongletonConservativeSeconded
Laurence Robertson15/05/2008TewkesburyConservativeSeconded
Richard Bacon15/05/2008South NorfolkConservativeSeconded
Paul Goodman15/05/2008WycombeConservativeSeconded
Anne Main03/06/2008St AlbansConservativeSigned
Stewart Jackson06/06/2008PeterboroughConservativeSigned
David Amess09/06/2008Southend WestConservativeSigned
Nigel Waterson16/06/2008EastbourneConservativeSigned
Mark Pritchard07/10/2008The WrekinConservativeSigned
Joe Benton09/10/2008BootleLabourSigned

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