Petition Abortion reform - scrap the need for a second doctor's approval

Existing abortion law (Abortion Act 1967) requires the approval of two doctors for an abortion to be performed. The British Medical Association feels this is medically unnecessary, as does the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The need for two signatures is highly impractical, as recent controversy has shown. It leads to delays, which can be very distressing for those involved. Women are best placed to decide what is right for them, not doctors.

This restriction is outdates, and undermines women’s autonomy over their own bodies. We call upon the government to amend abortion legislation and remove the need for the additional approval of a second doctor for an abortion to be performed.