The household minister fears extra individuals may have late-term abortions – Labor disagrees

Toppe tells Klassekampen that she fears that an extension from 12 to 18 weeks will change the view on abortion late in being pregnant.

– A legislation indicators and creates attitudes, maybe not within the quick time period, however in the long run. And it’s conceivable that you should have extra abortions later within the being pregnant, says Toppe.

As we speak, the restrict for self-determined abortion is week 12, however in apply week 18 has change into a brand new deadline. Final 12 months, there have been 484 tribunal-processed abortions in weeks 13 to 18, and just one was refused.

– There’s not a really large want among the many Norwegian individuals for a brand new legislation with an prolonged border, I’ve been attempting to get that throughout for a very long time, says Toppe, who labored as a physician earlier than she grew to become a politician.

– Exaggerated

Nevertheless, Storting consultant and spokesperson for girls’s well being within the Labor Occasion, Kamzy Gunaratnam, believes that the household minister is fallacious regarding late-term abortions.

– Kjersti Toppe’s concern that ladies may have late abortions is an exaggerated and groundless concern. I urge that we proceed to have a fact-based debate in regards to the new abortion legislation, says Gunaratnam to NTB.

– We now have no proof that an elevated restrict for self-determination will enhance the variety of late-term abortions, which the data base confirms. In Sweden, which for the reason that introduction of self-determined abortion has had 18 weeks because the restrict, abortions following week 12 don’t make up any bigger proportion of abortions in complete than they do in Norway, she says.

Will take dissent

Toppe has beforehand mentioned that she’s going to dissent if the proposal for week 18 comes within the autumn.

She needs the tribunals to be modified, not eliminated, and that they need to guarantee follow-up and knowledge for the lady. She suggests calling them “abortion boards”.

– Week 18 is midway via the being pregnant. The fetus is then 18 centimeters lengthy and weighs 230 grams. It’s 3–4 weeks earlier than the fetus may be thought of viable. At 12 weeks, it weighs 15 grams and is at a totally completely different stage, she says.