Professor Sabaratnam Arulkumaran:

That is true. The WHO has reported that the introduction or liberalising of abortion in France, Italy and Turkey has reduced the number of terminations mainly because of post-abortion contraception. Many women will accept a long-acting reversible contraceptive such as an IUD or implant. Therefore they do not get pregnant or run to the same cycle. I am sure the same process will happen if it is legalised and takes place in Ireland. When these women go to Britain they do not have the opportunity to have that particular counselling and have contraception there. Here they are not going to come and say, "I had an abortion. I want contraception", unless they go and say they want contraception. As Dr. Boylan mentioned earlier, if termination is liberalised, it needs to be linked to contraception services.