Delivering improved 'abortion care' must remain a priority - Irish Family Planning Association
The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) has warned that more needs to be done to enhance abortion services to people all over Ireland.
In releasing its annual report for 2018, the IFPA noted that many people who present at its clinics are "unable to access care locally".
It has called for free contraception, comprehensive sex education and reforms to the Health (Termination of Pregnancy) Act, warning against complacency in healthcare in the wake of the introduction of "free, safe and legal abortion care".
Cost barriers, in particular, are, it suggested, a major issue in terms of pregnancy and accessing care.
IFPA Medical Director, Dr Caitríona Henchion, said such barriers "can force women who wish to avoid pregnancy to use unreliable methods or no methods of contraception".
"I have seen women present with unintended pregnancy who had chosen a very effective long-acting reversible method but had deferred it due to cost. Sadly, I have also seen women who are still unable to afford their method of choice after a termination of pregnancy," Dr Henchion said.
IFPA said many of the logistical issues in accessing abortion were "ironed out relatively quickly" but that clients from all over the country are still presenting at clinics due to the absence of services in their locality.
Access for women from Northern Ireland is problematic too, they said, describing referral pathways as "still unclear".
Niall Behan, IFPA Chief Executive, said that the law "does not fully address the unmet need for abortion services in Ireland".
"Women and girls whose pregnancies exceed 12 weeks - but do not involve risk to life or of serious harm to health or a fatal foetal anomaly - are excluded from care," he said.
"They must still rely on the compassion and care of providers outside the state. We cannot ignore their needs, their interests and their right to care. And the Act’s criminal provisions and mandatory waiting period stigmatise women who access abortion care. This is unacceptable."
IFPA said it provided 13,027 appointments, of which 5,162 were contraceptive services to women and girls aged between 16 and 58. Of those, 3,986 were for women over the age of 24 and 1,176 were for women under the age of 24. In addition 973 STI services were provided. 2018 also saw an increase of 17.5% in the uptake of cervical screening
