Media Release: Friday 4 July 2008

ORGANISATIONS IN WEST SUPPORT WOMEN AND MODEL C

Chief Executive Officer of Women's Health West, Dr Robyn Gregory, is pleased to announce that increasing numbers of organisations (see below), many servicing residents in the western region of Melbourne, endorse Model C, one of 3 models outlined in the Victorian Law Reform Commission Report into the decriminalisation of abortion.

"Option C gives final decision-making authority to the pregnant woman, with the practice of abortion then governed by the same body of legal rules that regulate other medical procedures," explained Dr Gregory.

Option B takes a two-staged approach to regulation of abortion - a woman's decision up to 24 weeks and medically determined risk of harm to the woman after that time.

Terminations after 24-weeks are generally for reasons of foetal abnormalities that have been picked up because of our increased capacity for foetal screening at later stages of gestation. This capacity is constantly changing, making the specification of timelines in legislation impractical.

One woman we've spoken to discovered she was pregnant for the first time at age 38. She and husband had given up trying years ago. She lived in the country so it was always difficult to get an appointment quickly but she wasn't concerned as she felt so well. The doctor decided to run some tests on account of her age. At 23 weeks they were told that the scans showed signs of possible foetal abnormality.

The doctors said she had the option of having an abortion or that she could wait and have more screening at 26 weeks to confirm or rule out any fetal abnormality. The anxious couple agreed to wait the extra time knowing they could terminate the pregnancy if they felt it was necessary. Happily, further screening showed the baby was completely healthy and Susan and Dave eventually gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.

Having time to make a considered decision about whether or not they have the resources to cope with a child with a severe disability is paramount - and this decision can only be made on a case-by-case basis.

"The groundswell of organisational support for Option C is heartening given that it is the only option that both symbolically and practically recognises women as full citizens, who are capable of making moral decisions that affect their lives and those of their family," said Dr Gregory.

SIGNATORIES IN SUPPORT OF MODEL C

Women's Health Victoria
Gippsland Women's Health Service (GWHS)
Women's Health in the North (WHIN)
Women's Health East (WHE)
Women's Health West (WHW)
Women's Health in the South East (WHISE)
Women's Health Grampians (WHG)
Women's Health East (WHE)
Women's Health Loddon Mallee
Women's Health Goulburn North East (WHGNE)
Association for the Legal Right to Abortion in Victoria
Australian Greens Victoria
Australian Institute for Primary Care
Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) Forum
Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children's Hospital
Doctors Reform Society (Victoria)
Domestic Violence Resource Centre
Eastern Domestic Violence Outreach Service Inc
Emily's List Victoria
Health Issues Centre
Liberty Victoria
Multicultural Centre for Women's Health
Pro Choice Vic
Public Health Association of Australia Women's Health Special Interest Group
Reproductive Choice Australia
The Royal Women's Hospital
Union of Australian Women (Victoria)
WIRE - women's information
Women's Legal Service
Victorian Council of Social Services
Victorian Women Lawyers
Victorian Women's Trust
Victorian Women with Disabilities Network
Victorian Women and Mental Health Network
Women's Electoral Lobby
Youth Affairs Council of Victoria
YWCA Victoria

Individuals

Professor Ann Kavanagh Director Key Centre for Women's Health in Society
Beth Wilson Victorian Health Services Commissioner
Eve Mahlab AO
Robert Richter QC
Professor Hal Swerrison, Dean, School of Health Sciences, LaTrobe University
Dr Jo Wainer

MEDIA CONTACT

For more information contact Nicola Harte, Communications Co-ordinator at Women's Health West on 9689 9588 or email nicolah@whwest.org.au or contact on the day on 0432 637 933. For all other general media enquiries contact us via email.