Closed petition Repeal section 1(1)(d) of the Abortion Act 1967

Closed on 16 March 2021

It is legal to terminate a pregnancy up to full term on the grounds of severe disability, this includes (but is not limited to) Down's syndrome, cleft lip and club foot. If there is no sign of disability the limit is 24 weeks. This law is outdated and is contrary to the spirit of the Equality Act.

The justification for using 24 weeks as the limit for abortion under any other grounds is that after 24 weeks the child can survive outside of the womb. Yet, a disabled baby can be aborted beyond the age of viability. UK equality laws claim to give each individual the same rights, whatever their gender, ethnicity, sexuality or disability. The womb is one of the few places where the disabled have yet to achieve equality. If the UK is to be truly a country of equality, this law must be reformed.