2023-04-23 11:18:00
This week, the 35 experts of the scientific committee on abortion presented their report to the House. Doctors, lawyers, psychologists or philosophers, they were all responsible for evaluating the current legislation on abortion.
The 25 recommendations of the experts of the scientific committee in charge of evaluating the current legislation on abortion to the political world are already moving the lines: some parties might reconsider their position on the question, but questions remain on the table: the duration to carry out might an abortion take 12 to 18 weeks? Allowing an abortion up to 18 weeks of pregnancy, isn’t that too much? When does the fetus feel pain?
Currently, many women who have exceeded the 12-week limit travel to the Netherlands in order to have a later abortion, 371 in 2021. In the Netherlands, following the first trimester, the abortion costs 1,170 euros, specified Femke Van Straaten, director of the Bloemenhovekliniek. In Belgium, there were 16,702 abortions in 2021.
On the set of “It’s not every day Sunday”, the debate arose. Yvon Englert, gynecologist and Co-president of the group of experts in charge of evaluating the practice and legislation of abortion in Belgium, explained the reason for the recommendation of 18 weeks.
“This obviously concerns unwanted pregnancies.“, he clarified upfront. “The expert group unanimously thinks that we must stop the hypocrisy and turn a blind eye to the cases of these women who go to the Netherlands to have an abortion. The balance between the status of the fetus and the autonomy of women means that we propose 18 weeks“.
Risk of pain?
At the center of the debate, there is obviously the pain that the fetus might suffer. Yvon Englert is clear on this. “There is a very broad consensus that the onset of pain perception occurs between 22 and 26 weeks, well following 18 weeks.“.
For his part, Tommy Scholtès, spokesperson for the bishops of Belgium, feels “embarrassed” by this news. “Abortion is reduced to a medical act. Just make an appointment to do it, and it’s good. For the perception of pain, I do not agree. We know that abortions performed under these conditions are always more difficult“.
The CD&V, the Flemish Christian Democratic Party is once morest this measure.
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