Court challenge to abortion guide

Guidelines on abortion were published in NI in March

The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children is mounting a legal challenge to the Northern Ireland government's guidelines on abortion.

The society has said the Department of Health guidelines "distort the law" and has called for them to be withdrawn.

Abortion is illegal in Northern Ireland, except when the mother's life is at risk.

An application for leave for a judicial review of the guidelines is due to be heard in the High Court on Monday.

In March, the Department of Health published guidance to health professionals in Northern Ireland on terminating pregnancy for the first time.

They explain the circumstances of when a termination may be carried out.

They provide guidance on the giving of informed consent from the mother, the provision of counselling, both before and after the termination, and the responsibility of health and social care organisations to develop and distribute relevant leaflets.

Professionals

Nursing staff who, on the grounds of conscience, do not wish to assist or perform a termination will also have their rights protected.

Liam Gibson of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children said the law in Northern Ireland "not only safeguards the lives of unborn children but also protects women from the terrible damage which abortion can cause".

"By issuing guidance that distorts the law, the department of health has created a grave threat to unborn children, to the safety of women and to the rights of medical professionals."

He said the guidance was "so fatally flawed that it will lead to the situation where no abortion in Northern Ireland would be considered impermissible".

In 2004 the Court of Appeal ruled that the Department of Health should inquire into the provision of termination services in Northern Ireland.

Up until March, there had been no guidelines for nurses, doctors and GPs when faced with terminating a pregnancy.

It emerged last month, that more than 1,000 women from Northern Ireland had travelled to England for an abortion in 2008.