Three-day abortion wait avoids  coercive pressure on women to have termination, committee told

GP told committee delay meant 'protected time to ensure informed consent and to enable these women make a fully considered decision at such a vulnerable time in their lives'. File picture

A mandatory three-day pause during termination appointments can help avoid coercive pressure to have an abortion, the Oireachtas health committee heard on Wednesday.

During a sometimes tense session, some politicians claimed GP speakers were “barracked” and “attacked” by other politicians for supporting the three-day wait .

The committee is considering a Sinn Féin private members’ bill which would remove the mandatory three-day waiting period between an initial consultation and a termination of pregnancy.

The Department of Health previously said it would propose an amendment to ensure the right to a voluntary waiting period is protected if that bill passes.

On Wednesday, the committee heard from Dr Andrew O'Regan and Dr Kirsten Fuller.

The GPs spoke in a private capacity and support keeping a mandatory wait. They said they did not offer termination services.

Dr Fuller said the delay meant “protected time to ensure informed consent and to enable these women make a fully considered decision at such a vulnerable time in their lives". 

She raised questions over “a massive increase” in abortions under legislation since 2019, saying one in six pregnancies now end in terminations.

She called for analysis of HSE data shared previously with the Dáil. 

This showed 10,000 women had a first appointment with a GP but did not return for a termination with that doctor.

The GP also highlighted a recent case in Letterkenny where a man was jailed for forcing his partner to swallow abortion tablets and locking her up.

In February, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison, the final two years of which are suspended, for causing the unlawful termination of a pregnancy.

“[The wait] protects cases of coercive abortion because two visits are better than one,” Dr Fuller told Fine Gael TD Colm Burke.

She said she “absolutely” accepted some GPs who provide terminations agreed with the statutory wait also.

Dr O’Regan said the mandatory wait gave women “time to reflect and to draw on available supports, empowering them to make fully informed decisions”.

He told Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane a voluntary wait would not be of the same value for women, saying: “In practice, I believe it will be no safeguard at all. I believe the best safeguard is the mandatory three-day wait”.

He added: “There is no other procedure in medicine in this country where the result will be the ending of a life.” 

Disagreement broke out between the politicians, with some claiming the GPs were not given the chance to share their views in the same calm atmosphere provided to witnesses in previous sessions.

Independent TD Carol Nolan said it was disappointing the committee had not heard from women who opted to keep their baby after pausing for the three days.

The legislation currently mandates a three-day pause between the first appointment and a second where women are prescribed abortion pills or have a medical termination depending on their situation.