Post by Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists RANZCOG

RANZCOG commends the South Australian Parliament's decision to vote down Sarah Game MLC's bill, which sought to restrict access to later abortion (after 24 weeks and 6 days) in South Australia. This bill was the third attempt to change South Australia’s abortion laws in less than two years. As RANZCOG has consistently stated, later abortions are a complex medical decision made between a person and their doctor – not a topic for debate in parliament. Abortions after 24 weeks and 6 days are extremely rare in South Australia and almost always involve serious abnormalities in the fetus or life-threatening risks to the mother. Later abortion is already an incredibly distressing experience for pregnant women and their families. These are not decisions made on a whim. They are difficult choices driven by serious clinical circumstances, made in consultation with qualified medical professionals. The rejection of this bill is an important win for women who may face such a difficult reality. Restricting access to abortion care forces patients to travel long distances interstate for care, adding financial burden on top of emotional trauma. As the peak body for women’s health, representing the largest professional network of obstetricians and gynaecologists across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, RANZCOG maintains its longstanding advocacy to protect women’s reproductive rights and autonomy.