A woman with Down’s syndrome has lost a Court of Appeal challenge over legislation which allows the abortion of babies with the condition up until birth. Heidi Crowter, 27, from Coventry, brought legal action against the Department of Health and Social Care in the hope of removing a section of the Abortion Act she believes to be an “instance of inequality”.
Judges ruled last September that the legislation is not unlawful and aims to strike a balance between the rights of the unborn child and of women. The case was reconsidered by the Court of Appeal at a hearing in July.
In England, Wales and Scotland, there is a 24-week time limit on having an abortion. But the law allows terminations up until birth if there is “a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped”, which includes Down’s syndrome.
