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Less than one in nine GPs providing abortion services, figures show

For the first nine weeks, pregnancy terminations are allowed in GP surgeries
Eoghan Murphy
Eoghan Murphy

09.20 1 Feb 2022


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Less than one in nine GPs prov...

Less than one in nine GPs providing abortion services, figures show

Eoghan Murphy
Eoghan Murphy

09.20 1 Feb 2022


Share this article


Less than one in nine GPs are providing abortion services.

And just over half of the country's maternity units carry out pregnancy terminations, over three years after they became legal here.

Since January 2019, abortions have been allowed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

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For the first nine weeks, they are allowed in GP surgeries.

According to Freedom of Information (FOI) figures released to Newstalk, only 405 GPs provide them.

There are about 3,500 GPs across the country - meaning over 88% do not.

Peigin Doyle is from Sligo Action for Reproductive Rights Access.

"At this point in time, no Sligo GP has signed up for the HSE MyOptions website to provide public termination services.

"And it is a serious problem in Sligo, because Sligo patients are being referred to GPs outside the county."

If you are more than nine weeks' pregnant, you have to go to a hospital to get an abortion.

But only 10 of the 19 maternity sites are providing elective abortion care for women under 12 weeks' pregnant.

Orla O'Connor, the director of the National Women's Council, says that is very poor.

"We believe in the National Women's Council that all 19 should be offering a full suite of reproductive healthcare services, in line with the law.

"And I think the point is that these are publicly-funded hospitals"

The Health Service Executive (HSE) says it is working to increase the availability of abortion services in hospitals.

Main image: A doctor taking patients blood pressure in April 2009. Picture by: John Cooper / Alamy Stock Photo

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Abortion Services FOI Freedom Of Information GP Surgeries GPs Hse Orla O'Connor Peigin Doyle Pregnancy Terminations

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