Campaigners have criticized Scottish ministers for failing to provide adequate access to later-term abortions, forcing “extremely vulnerable women” to travel hundreds of miles to English clinics. Currently, none of Scotland’s 14 regional health boards offer abortion care after 20 weeks, except in cases of foetal abnormality or threats to a woman’s life, despite the Scottish government’s commitment three years ago to address this “explicit inequality.” Abortion remains legal on broader grounds until 24 weeks across the UK, highlighting a significant disparity in care availability.
