One of the largest studies to look at the effect of induced abortions on a subsequent first birth has found that women who have had three or more abortions have a higher risk of some adverse birth outcomes, as published in the journal Human Reproduction .
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The SMC hosted the Lancet for this briefing about the stall in the decline of the global abortion rate, and the increase in the proportion of unsafe abortions. These are among research findings from the Guttmacher Institute and WHO, published by the Lancet. read more

As the campaign group Human Genetics Alert accused the Government of ‘setting the lights to green for the genetics runaway train’, the Science Media Centre asked fertility experts to comment. read more

The STC report on abortion includes recommendations on the number of doctors required to approve an abortion, the length of time at which abortion can be safely carried out, and the question of whether the fetus has the ability to feel pain. read more

The Government has published a command paper detailing proposals for revision of the law on assisted reproduction and embryo research, including the proposed Regulatory Authority for Tissue and Embryos (RATE), which will replace existing regulatory bodies (the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority, and the Human Tissue Authority). read more

The Science Media Centre brought together three leading scientists in the field to brief journalists on the current state of science on foetal viability and to answer questions about the science surrounding time limits on abortion. read more

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that a woman left infertile after cancer treatment cannot use her frozen embryos to have a baby without the consent of her former partner. read more

These comments follow the HFEA’s announcement that they are to relax the rules on embryo selection to allow couples to select an embryo who might be a tissue match for a seriously ill sibling. read more