Women deserve a carefully considered abortion provision

Prior to legislation, the Government must take time for research and consultation on contraception and abortion services, says Claire McCarthy.

IT is more than three weeks since the referendum on the Eighth Amendment. With a turnout of over 64% and a Yes vote of 67%, voters gave the Government a strong mandate to repeal the Eighth and introduce abortion services in Ireland.

The challenge now is to ensure the services are provided appropriately, safely, and in a manner acceptable both to women and healthcare providers.

On May 31, six days after the vote, a group of doctors met in Cork to discuss these issues. The group was comprised mainly of GPs and obstetricians and gynaecologists based in Cork and Kerry. We all supported a Yes vote in the referendum; we have all experienced the negative effects of the Eighth, and are all relieved to finally see it repealed.

At that meeting, we established a group called Start (Southern Task group on Abortion and Reproductive Topics). Since then, we have grown and currently have more than 50 doctor members in Munster.

Our main aim is that abortion services are introduced appropriately, and that this is coupled with a significant improvement in contraception options available to women.

There has been a lot of negativity represented in the media from healthcare professionals since the referendum. Instead, we see the referendum result as a great opportunity to introduce a world-class women’s health service. We openly admit that we are not experienced in providing abortion services. Most of us went to university in Ireland, trained in Ireland, and we all now practice in Ireland. So how could we be experienced in termination of pregnancy? But we are conscientiously committed to providing a service to all our patients.

Although we have little experience in abortion provision, we are definitely experts in contraception. We currently provide contraceptive care and family planning on a daily basis.

We believe it is essential that abortion services be introduced in conjunction with a significant improvement in

access to contraception for women. This includes before they experience a crisis pregnancy, thus hopefully

preventing a crisis pregnancy, and also after they have had a crisis pregnancy or a termination of pregnancy.

We need to take this opportunity to learn from other countries. We need to take the time to review how other countries introduced abortion services.

We need to examine in what facilities abortion services are provided by other countries. We have to review the

policies of other countries, especially with regards to medical terminations under 12 weeks’ gestation.

We must scrutinise the safety data available from other countries. We must write protocols for Irish women and Irish doctors. Above all, we need to take our time to do this properly.

We are concerned the Government will rush through legislation for various reasons of political expediency.

Unfortunately, Ireland already has a history with regards failing women in contraceptive, reproductive, and women’s health provision. We do not want to see another failure

The heads of bills proposed that pre- 12-week terminations will be provided by GPs. The Government did not

discuss this with any GP representative body and understandably has caused significant unease and anger among many GPs.

Similarly, no discussions have taken place around service provision with the obstetricians and gynaecologists who will be providers of care in the maternity hospitals.

General practice, gynaecology, and maternity services have been grossly underfunded for years. Morale among doctors is at an all-time low. Burn-out is at an all-time high. Expectations on doctors to provide a service they have little experience and no training in is putting increased pressure on an already stressed group. Nonetheless,

as a group we are conscientiously committed to the provision of abortion services in the Republic of Ireland.

It is our statement that this service must be adequately resourced, with time and financial support given to both GPs and obstetrician/gynaecologists, to provide the best care to Irish women.

We want to ensure new abortion services in Ireland are introduced appropriately and are associated with a significant improvement in contraception services. We hope to influence policy as we will be the doctors delivering the service for Irish women.

The Irish people have given us a strong mandate and a fantastic opportunity to create a world-class women’s health service. Let’s do it right. Dr Claire McCarthy is a GP in Cork representing Start, a group of more than 50 doctors; GPs, obstetricians, gynaecologists, psychiatrists, and public health doctors.