0 - Protection of Conscience Project Library

(Correspondence) Conscientious Objection to Abortion

Robert L Walley

British Medical Journal, BMJ — British Medical Journal

Extract
In the eight years since graduating from a London teaching hospital I have managed to do the “right jobs,” get the required fellowship and membership, and even obtained the B.T.A. (Been To America). However, I now discover that to have a conscientious objection to abortion on demand precludes one from continuing to practise in the specialty in this country. The head of department of a teaching hospital stated to me at a recent appointments board that there was now no place for a gynaecologist with a conscientious objection to abortion on demand to practise within the National Health Service and “you should cut your losses and emigrate.” . . . I have personal knowledge of six other doctors in a similar case who have either left the country or have been forced to enter general practice.

Walley RL. (Correspondence) Conscientious Objection to Abortion. Br Med J. 1972;4(5834):234.

(Correspondence) Iatrogenic pregnancy

Michael J Ball

Canadian Medical Association Journal, CMAJ — Canadian Medical Association Journal

Extract
On a number of occasions in the past year I have referred patients for therapeutic abortion where pregnancy had occurred following temporary discontinuation of oral contraceptives on medical advice. . . Last year the Medical Handbook of the International Planned Parenthood Federation was distributed widely to Canadian physicians by the Department of National Health and Welfare. In this authoritative source it is stated: “The earlier views, that oral contraceptives should not be used for more than two (later changed to four) years without a break are no longer tenable.”

Ball MJ. (Correspondence) Iatrogenic pregnancy. Can Med Assoc J. 1972;107(8):727. Available from:

Outpatient management of first trimester therapeutic abortions with and without tubal ligation

JA Collins, HH Allen, AA Yuzpe

Abstract
In busy hospitals the increasing numbers of abortions must be performed without disturbing other hospital functions. Local anesthesia, vaginal tubal ligation and the use of outpatient beds are the operative and administrative adaptations described. Of 1545 abortions performed in Victoria Hospital, London, in 1971, 428 (32%) were done under local anesthesia; 14 of these patients also had vaginal tubal ligation under local anesthesia. There were 405 sterilizations (26.2%) among this group of patients, of which 390 (96.3%) were vaginal tubal ligations. Of the total number, 891 (57.7%) were dealt with as outpatients and these comprised 62.0% of patients having therapeutic abortion only, and 46.7% of patients having tubal sterilization as well as abortion.

Collins JA, Allen H, Yuzpe A. Outpatient management of first trimester therapeutic abortions with and without tubal ligation. Can Med Assoc J. 1972 May 20;106():1077-1080.

(Editorial) Issues of Conscience

Thelma M Schorr

Extract
The reality of the situation is that since 1966, with the liberalization of abortion laws in a number of states, the number of abortion patients has been steadily increasing. This means that an increasing number of patients will seek care that most nurses have not been educated to render. . . . There are many nurses who see an abortion as an unconscionable act, and certainly they should never be placed in the position of having to nurse patients who have chosen to have their pregnancy terminated. Just as a patient’s freedom to choose must be respected, so must a nurse’s. But it is also that nurse’s responsibility to protect both the patient’s freedom and her own by refusing to work in a situation which she finds morally offensive.

Schorr TM. (Editorial) Issues of Conscience. Am J Nurs. 1972 Jan;72(1):61.