Church leaders and Christian campaigners across the UK have urged the public to contact members of the House of Lords ahead of a pivotal debate on proposed abortion law changes.

The Christian Institute said: “Abortion is a national scandal… each baby lost is a human being.”

They have called on believers to pray that lawmakers “do what is right and protect unborn children and their mothers”.

The organisation is backing amendments by Baronesses Monckton and Stroud, which seek to remove a clause that would decriminalise self-administered abortions at any stage of pregnancy and to reinstate mandatory in-person medical consultations for abortion pills.

Baroness Monckton called the proposal “an extreme social change” introduced with limited parliamentary scrutiny, while Baroness Stroud said face-to-face safeguards are essential for confirming gestational age and identifying potential coercion.

Government figures show 278,740 abortions were carried out in England and Wales in 2023, the highest annual total on record, with UK-wide estimates approaching 300,000.

Pro-life groups link the rise to “pills by post” services, warning that late-term home abortions increase health risks and reduce opportunities for safeguarding vulnerable women.

Catherine Robinson of Right To Life UK described the changes as “the most significant shift in abortion legislation since 1967”.

The Report Stage of the Crime and Policing Bill begins on 25 February, when peers will consider the amendments, as Christians and faith groups across the country continue mobilising for unborn children and their mothers.