You will need to provide some examples of hot topics you can apply during your medical school interviews. Here you will learn everything you need to know about abortion in the UK - including the ethical implications and some example medicine interview questions and model answers for you to look at. Combine your reading here with medicine interview tutoring to boost your answers and delivery.
Summary of Abortion in the UK for Medical Interviews
Is abortion legal in the UK? Abortion is legal in the UK up to 24 weeks of pregnancy (12 weeks in Northern Ireland) with the approval of two doctors.
Termination of pregnancy can be a medical abortion or a surgical abortion, depending on circumstances specific to the patient.
Conscientious objections by doctors are allowed except in cases where a patient’s life is at risk. Clinicians are still obligated to refer to a practitioner who can offer an abortion.
Be prepared to discuss important issues such as buffer zones around abortion clinics, and the role of telemedicine.
Key Ethical and Social Issues Related to Abortion in the UK
How does abortion work in the UK?
In the UK, an individual’s right to seek a termination of pregnancy, or abortion, is covered by the NHS. There are two main methods of terminating a pregnancy: Medical or surgical.
Medical termination of pregnancy is generally performed within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy and involves a person taking two pills - mifepristone and misoprostol. These pills cause the uterus to contract and expel the embryo and uterine lining. As a non-surgical method, there is a lower risk of complications but a greater chance of side effects such as cramping and significant vaginal bleeding.
Surgical termination of pregnancy is usually performed after more than 10 weeks of gestation. It may involve suction aspiration (the use of a tube to suction contents out from the uterus), or dilation and evacuation (D&E), where the cervix is dilated and the uterine contents are removed with surgical instruments.
Both medical and surgical options are indicated in different scenarios, and the choice between them depends on factors such as the stage of pregnancy, patient preference, and medical history.
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What is the current legal status of abortion in the UK?
Is abortion legal in England? In England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, abortion is legal for up to 24 weeks under specific circumstances. In Northern Ireland, this limit is 12 weeks.
Abortion was first criminalised in the UK under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, and later a framework for its legalisation was established per the Abortion Act 1967.
Legality of Abortion
It allows abortion when performed by a qualified medical professional so long as two doctors agree that continuing the pregnancy is a greater risk than the abortion to the life or health of the mother or any of her existing children.
Abortion is allowed after 24 weeks (12 in Northern Ireland) only if:
The person’s life is in danger
The foetus has a severe abnormality
The woman is at risk of significant physical and/or mental injury
During the COVID-19 pandemic, abortion pills began to be offered via telemedicine, meaning that patients could access them even without seeing a doctor in person.
This increased access to this medical care, as it meant that patients could seek termination of pregnancy care even if they didn’t have the time or the means to travel to a clinic in person.
What are the ethical arguments in support of abortion rights?
There are a number of important arguments in support of abortion rights. One crucial factor is that of bodily autonomy - the right of a patient to decide what should happen to, and within their own body.
This is one of the four pillars of medical ethics, which are important to understand for your interviews. Proponents of abortion argue that this right outweighs the limited rights of an embryo that is not yet a conscious or sentient human being and cannot survive outside of the mother’s uterus.
Parity can be drawn to other examples of cases where no one would be expected to give up their body to support the life of another - for instance, mandatory organ donation or the famous thought experiment of the unconscious violinist.
This argument implores readers to consider a scenario where they wake up to find that their body is being used as a life support system for an unconscious violinist, who will recover in 9 months. There are various risks to the reader, however, if they disconnect themself from the violinist then the musician will surely die.
According to the thought experiment, in both this case and the case of abortion, it is important to have the right to remove yourself from the risks associated with the situation even if this leads to the death of another person.
It’s also important to consider the practicalities of abortion rights. In places where abortion is illegal, it still happens. It is just unsafe and riskier, happening in backstreet clinics or with homemade methods. Given this, greater reproductive rights keep people safe from botched abortions that kill thousands each year.
In summary:
Patients have the right to decide what happens to their own body
Patients have the right to remove themselves from risks to their own health
An embryo is not yet sentient and does not have the capacity for independent life
Criminalising abortions does not stop them from happening, but rather reduces their safety
What are the ethical arguments against abortion?
It’s also important to know and understand why some people oppose abortion rights. They may argue based on a variety of beliefs.
Some people believe that human life begins at the point of conception, often but not always for religious reasons. They, therefore, see the termination of pregnancy as tantamount to murder, so not acceptable under any circumstances.
They may also argue that undergoing an abortion carries both physical and emotional risks for the parent (though of course risks also exist with completing pregnancy and giving birth). Therefore, they prefer for children to be born and put up for adoption or foster care as an alternative.
In summary:
Human life begins at conception
Babies can be put up for adoption or foster care
Abortion carries physical and mental risks
Can doctors conscientiously object to performing an abortion?
Yes, under specific circumstances, doctors can conscientiously object to performing terminations of pregnancy or offering terminations of pregnancy. They may do so for personal, religious, or ethical reasons.
However, there are limitations to this:
Doctors cannot object to providing abortion care in cases where the patient’s life is at risk
If they conscientiously object to performing an abortion, doctors must still refer the patient to a clinician who is willing to terminate their pregnancy
This brings up the interaction between a patient’s right to access safe and free medical care and a doctor’s right to freedom of personal and religious expression. The current law considers patient safety to be sacrosanct, whilst also facilitating personal and religious expression wherever possible.
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What does the law say about buffer zones around abortion clinics?
Many abortion clinics are surrounded by near-constant protestors, often from religious groups. These can range from peaceful protests to active harassment of patients and clinicians. A ‘buffer zone’ around clinics is a legal minimum distance from them within which abortion protestors are not allowed.
Legislation putting into place buffer zones has been passed by Westminster, applying in England and Wales. Scotland is still evaluating similar legislation in the Holyrood parliament, and Northern Ireland is much further away from passing any similar legislation.
Charities such as Back Off Scotland have campaigned for these buffer zones for many years, and have helpful resources about the topic on their websites.
This brings up questions of the conflict between a patient’s right to access free and safe abortion care, and the public’s right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest. Opponents of buffer zones argue that the law restricts their right to express their beliefs.
👉🏻 Read more: Answering Medicine Ethics Questions
Top Tips for Medicine Interview Questions on Abortion
You could get questions about any of the above topics, or abortion more generally, in your medical school interviews. Some top tips to consider are:
Do not propose that you support anything that limits abortion access. Whilst the BMA supports the rights of doctors to hold their own personal beliefs about the issue, it opposes any legislation that enforces anti-choice beliefs onto other people.
Think about weaving multiple topics together. If you are asked about buffer zones, for instance, you may also want to consider how access to terminations of pregnancy via telemedicine means that patients do not have to contend with protestors.
Consider all of the different potential barriers to abortion that exist. Social stigmas, interaction with protestors, the time taken to a termination of pregnancy and dealing with the side effects, and more factors all come into play.
Be aware of the current law and show off your knowledge about how it is changing.
👉🏻 Read more: MMI Medicine Interview Tips Guide
Example Medicine Interview Questions and Model Answers on Abortion
Should doctors be forced to perform abortions, even if they disagree for religious reasons?
Ethical issues surrounding abortion can be quite complex, as there are numerous parties whose interests need to be balanced. The current law in the UK allows doctors to conscientiously object to performing abortions except in cases where the patient’s life is at risk, and I would support this.
It’s important that doctors are still allowed to follow their religious beliefs. So long as they refer a patient seeking an abortion to another doctor who is willing to offer this treatment, and conduct their consultation without judgement, there is no problem with the doctor not performing a termination of pregnancy. Therefore, there is no reason to force them to go against their religious beliefs.
However, if a patient’s life is at risk then this must take priority above the doctor’s beliefs. It is not appropriate for a doctor to allow their personal life or opinions to interfere with their work such that harm befalls a patient under any circumstances.
Ultimately, this is a nuanced issue, but I do support the right to conscientious objection in most circumstances just as UK law currently does.
👉🏻 Read more: Answering Medicine Ethics Questions
Q: What do you think might be some of the practical issues that people in the UK face regarding access to abortions?
Model Answer
Despite abortion being legal in most of the UK for up to 24 weeks, there are still various practical issues that can limit people’s access to it.
Firstly, in Northern Ireland, termination of pregnancy is only permitted up to the twelfth week of gestation. Therefore, patients seeking an abortion between 12 and 24 weeks must travel to the rest of the UK to get such a treatment. This may not be an option for all patients, as this travel takes time and money that not everyone has.
Secondly, there is a lot of stigma surrounding abortion. A patient’s friends and family may try to discourage them from seeking to terminate their pregnancy, or they may face protestors outside a clinic. This is why I think it’s important that buffer zones exist outside of abortion clinics.
Thirdly, not everyone has access to information about how to access free and safe abortion care. Therefore, it’s important that this is well-advertised to patients so that they can make their own decisions about whether or not to terminate their pregnancy.
Whilst there are also other barriers to accessing abortion care, I believe that these are some of the most significant.
👉🏼 Read More: Medicine Interview Questions Guide 2023
Example Medical Interview Abortion Questions
Abortion may come up during your interview in ethics or empathy questions.
Some example questions include:
How would you approach counselling patients on the decision to terminate a pregnancy?
What do you believe are the most common social and ethical concerns that arise when it comes to the abortion debate?
Is there such a thing as a ‘wrong’ reason to seek a termination of pregnancy?
What do you think are the most common misconceptions about abortion, and how would you address them in your practice?
What role do you think doctors should play in advocacy regarding the fight for reproductive rights?
Are there any circumstances in which you believe that abortion should not be offered for patients seeking such care?
Do you support buffer zones around abortion clinics?
Are you aware of any legislation that is currently changing around access to abortion care in the UK?
What are the different methods of performing an abortion and when are they appropriate?
"A young female comes to you and asks for an abortion, but you are a conscientious objector, what should happen next?"
What emotions might a person undergoing an abortion feel?
👉🏻 Read more: 280 Common Medicine Interview Questions 2023
Conclusion
Overall, abortion questions can provide a valuable opportunity to reflect on the ethical challenges that can arise in medicine and to demonstrate your ability to think critically about these issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two main methods of abortion in the UK?
The two main methods of abortion in the UK are medical abortion (performed within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy) and surgical abortion (performed after 10 weeks). The choice between them depends on factors such as the stage of pregnancy, patient preference, and medical history.
How does the Abortion Act 1967 affect abortion legality in the UK?
The Abortion Act 1967 established the legal framework for abortion in the UK, allowing it when performed by a qualified medical professional and approved by two doctors under specific circumstances, such as risks to the life or health of the mother or her existing children.
What are conscientious objections, and how do they relate to abortion?
Conscientious objections allow doctors to refuse to perform abortions due to personal, religious, or ethical reasons. However, they must refer patients to a practitioner who is willing to perform the procedure and cannot object when the patient's life is at risk.
What is a buffer zone around abortion clinics?
A buffer zone is a legal minimum distance from abortion clinics within which protestors are not allowed. It aims to protect patients and clinicians from harassment and ensure patients can access safe abortion care.
How do telemedicine services impact abortion access in the UK?
Telemedicine services, introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowed patients to access abortion pills without seeing a doctor in person, increasing accessibility to abortion care for those with limited time or resources to travel to a clinic.
What are the primary ethical arguments supporting abortion rights?
Key arguments supporting abortion rights include the right to bodily autonomy, the belief that an embryo is not yet sentient and cannot survive outside the uterus, and the practicality that criminalising abortions increases risks and unsafe procedures.
What are the main ethical arguments against abortion rights?
Arguments against abortion rights include the belief that human life begins at conception, the possibility of putting babies up for adoption or foster care, and the physical and mental risks associated with abortion.
How can medical students prepare for abortion-related questions in interviews?
Medical students should familiarise themselves with the current laws, ethical arguments, and practical considerations surrounding abortion. They should also practice discussing these issues in a balanced and informed manner, showcasing their knowledge and critical thinking skills.
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