Flemish Socialist party calls for 20-week abortion limit

Socialist party SP.A wants to give women the possibility of having an abortion up to 20 weeks after conception. The current limit is 12 weeks, unless the pregnancy seriously endangers the woman’s health or if the child is certain to be born with a severe and incurable condition.

SP.A, currently in opposition, wants to raise the limit to 20 weeks to combat “abortion tourism” to the Netherlands, where abortion is allowed up to 22 weeks. Each year, about 600 women from Flanders go to the Netherlands for an abortion.

Flemish abortion centres are in favour of the proposal. Carine Vrancken of umbrella organisation Luna says there are various reasons why women sometimes need abortions at later than 12 weeks. “Some women initially don’t have pregnancy symptoms or interpret them differently, while others just hesitate over the decision,” she told VRT. “A woman’s domestic situation can also drastically change during a pregnancy.”

Vrancken says she realises the discussion brings up emotional reactions, but feels it is important to talk about the issue as women sometimes risk their life to have an abortion.

Gynaecologist Hendrik Cammu, connected to the academic hospital of the Free University of Brussels (VUB), doesn’t oppose the proposal but says there must be certain conditions. “We need to register people who undergo an abortion and use the data for more targeted prevention action,” he said.

Photo: Ingimage