The Scottish Catholic Church is warning against home abortions.

As a result of the covid-19 pandemic, the Scottish government had allowed women to terminate their pregnancy at home with two pills if it was in the first 10 weeks of the pregnancy.

Abortion has been legal in Scotland since 1967 up until the 24th week of pregnancy.  

It is now being considered whether to make the measure permanent through an online public consultation.

In a statement, the Scottish Catholic Church has expressed concern about the health of women saying that women should be given face-to-face counselling as it is hard to assess all health complications through a phone call or video call.

The statement reads: “It is difficult to believe that the potentially serious psychological and mental health complications associated with an abortion, which always results in the death of a human being, can be adequately dealt with over the phone or in a virtual setting.

“Women experiencing a crisis pregnancy should be given face-to-face counselling. Denying women this would be tantamount to neglect and a failure of the Scottish government’s duty of care towards a vulnerable group.”

Earlier this month, the Catholic parliamentary office issued guidelines for Catholics to consider when participating in the consultation. It highlighted the importance of having complete information about the support available to the mother and the baby, as well as the significance of the “human contact”.

The guidelines also urged the Scottish Government to “acknowledge the reality of abortion, which ends the life of an innocent, defenceless human being, and to create the conditions which will ensure adequate support for all women experiencing crisis pregnancies, their baby, and wider family.”

The consultation is due to end on 5th January. An Online consultation is also going in England but will end on 26th February.