Abortion

According to UK law, abortion is allowed up to 24 weeks if there is a risk to the health of the woman or to any existing children.

It is allowed up to birth if there is a risk to the woman’s life (or of serious harm) or if the child will be born with a severe disability.

24 weeks is known as viability. This is when a foetus can survive outside the womb. In practice, it is often possible for a foetus to survive outside the womb before 24 weeks.

By 12 weeks of pregnancy the foetus’ main organs are operating.

Roman Catholics

Believe that life begins at conception.

Jeremiah 1:5 ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you’.

 You cannot go against the Sanctity of Life.

In the case of rape it is wrong to punish the child for the sins of others.

Abortion is never an option.

We must not play God.

If a life-saving operation needs to take place, and as a consequence the baby in the womb dies, then this is not an abortion as the INTENTION was to do good. (Double Effect)

Anglicans

Believe that life begins at conception, however they do not always give full rights to the foetus.

Sometimes it is a lesser of two evils to carry out an abortion, especially in the case of rape or severe disability.

The life of the mother is always seen as more important than the life of the foetus.