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Insight and Society

Activist groups are making it harder to access abortions in the UK

Doctors in the UK say that attempts to restrict access to abortion services are an unacceptable barrier to healthcare

By Jason Arunn Murugesu

23 August 2022

Protester holding sign saying "pray to end abortion"

Ant-abortion protesters in London in September 2021

Matthew Chattle/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Anti-abortion groups in the UK are becoming increasingly vocal and making it more difficult for people to access healthcare, doctors and health bodies say.

Besides the notable exception of Northern Ireland, where abortion was only permitted in very restricted circumstances until 2019, the issue is relatively uncontroversial in the UK. About 90 per cent of adults in the country believe that women should be able to access abortion services, according to a YouGov poll in 2020.

Fifty-five per cent of adults in the US…

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