Abortion is not safe - it kills an innocent child, and can cause physical and psychological harm to the mother. There is also an argument to be made about the adverse effects that abortion has upon abortionists and those who work in abortion facilities. Sometimes physical complications to the mother can result in the need for hospitalisation. Sometimes mothers die, even when abortion is considered "safe and legal" in countries with good health systems. The most recent Department of Health abortion statistics report 279 registered abortion-related complications. However, the actual number is likely to be much higher - mothers may have a complication related to their abortion later on but not disclose that they had an abortion, or the complication arises after a certain amount of time so that the complication is not recorded as abortion-related. Obtaining records from the Care Quality Commission on reported complications from abortion is slightly easier but still tricky when it comes to BPAS and Marie Stopes International, but getting the same information for private and NHS hospitals is difficult, hence we can reasonably argue that the actual number is higher than 279.
A few months ago the Good Counsel Network reported on the number of ambulances called to Marie Stopes Abortion centre in Ealing. In less than 8 weeks ambulances had to be called on 5 separate occasions. If the ambulances were indeed called because of abortion-related complications, imagine what it must be like to have complications, have paramedics called, be taken to hospital, and have even more people know that you were having an abortion. Having an abortion is not generally something women want to shout about, for obvious reasons.
A few days ago a contact in South London sent me photos of an ambulance called to the Marie Stopes centre in Brixton, south London, in April. The photos are below. This blog has already reported on MSI Brixton when a former employee turned whistleblower claimed MSI Brixton was operating a system of financial incentives for hitting targets. In 2010 MSI in the UK made headlines for offering free abortions as part of its job perks package for staff.
Please note that none of the photos include the mother at all - no one wants to expose or shame mothers having abortions. If the ambulance was called because of an abortion complication, which is very probable, these photos are yet more evidence about the harm abortion does to unborn children and their mothers. My contact tells that an MSI receptionist came to meet the ambulance paramedics, and was holding a white form. The ambulance stretcher was taken into the MSI centre. It is important to document these incidences, because they do not make it into the mainstream press, and the public just aren't aware that this sort of thing happens. Our culture still has the impression that abortion is a simple and safe procedure without consequences.
Please note that none of the photos include the mother at all - no one wants to expose or shame mothers having abortions. If the ambulance was called because of an abortion complication, which is very probable, these photos are yet more evidence about the harm abortion does to unborn children and their mothers. My contact tells that an MSI receptionist came to meet the ambulance paramedics, and was holding a white form. The ambulance stretcher was taken into the MSI centre. It is important to document these incidences, because they do not make it into the mainstream press, and the public just aren't aware that this sort of thing happens. Our culture still has the impression that abortion is a simple and safe procedure without consequences.
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| Ambulance arriving |
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| Two paramedics and the MSI receptionist (right) with what looks like a white form in her hand |
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| Paramedics unload the stretcher |
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| The ambulance was left unattended as both paramedics and the MSI receptionist went into the bulding with the medic bag and stretcher |
