Irish Woman Expresses Gratitude to Online Pharmacies

Age-group of women between 25-35 from Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland are mostly found accessing online pharmacies to terminate pregnancies, says reports. In between 2010 to 2015, around 5,650 women have found buying abortion pills online from the countries. According to females taking pills had been the right choice for them, as majority of them at least have one child. Restrictive laws are placed in both countries that ban abortions except when there is a maternal mortality threat. Accessing or Ordering pills that terminate a pregnancy, or even help others to do so, is considered as severe crime as per the prosecution in Northern Ireland. Woman found performing or supporting this kind of crime is given life imprisonment.

Since 2001, there is decrease in the number of women travelling to England and Wales for abortive services. British Journal of Obstetics and Gynaecology (RCOG) states, age between 30 and 34 and age from 25 to 29, 25.8%, and 24.1% out of 5650 women used the service respectively. The percentage of women under 20 was low; they made up of 4.6%, and above 45s accounted for 2.6% those using the services. Mentioned in Data 3/4th % women were seven weeks pregnant or less. Data also says, between 2013-2015 around 3,500 accessing the site found slightly under 2/3th already had one or more children.

Common reasons for terminating the pregnancy were that couldn’t cope up with a child at that point of time. The second reason was the financial issues. Excluding these reasons, contraceptive failure was also one of the most important reasons in pregnancy cancellation. Northern Irish women commented about the benefits of access to safe early abortion through medication. They also stated that how it had helped them in their wellbeing, health, and autonomy. As per the women current abortion law implemented in 1861, creates an atmosphere of stigma, isolation, and shame.

A pro-life supporter in Ireland voiced his concern for the women saying abortion is an illegal act, if a woman accesses these pills from unregulated sources might endanger their health. To ensure the safety of babies and their mothers such irregular sources must be banned, he added. Addition to it, he also mentioned that a help and support must be given to women for an option against abortion; they should be provided with appropriate information regarding the effects of pregnancy cancellation.

It was found that earlier a woman from Ireland had travelled to UK to get the abortion pills by breaking the law in order to cancel her pregnancy. In between 1970 and 2015, 180-797 women from Ireland and 61,311 women from Northern Ireland journeyed to United Kingdom. Many of them still buy the abortion pill and bring it home by breaking the law.