Should Abortion be de-criminalised after 24 weeks?

I'll take your second point first if I may. As a man there's much of womanhood I may not understand. That's how it should be. The external symptoms of a girl, or woman, carrying a rape sired child I may observe and sympathise, but I cannot empathise. In the same way, it required many years of tenderness before my first wife could tell me her history. Then the guilt of not speaking up before we were married hit and made her depression worse. It must be said, she was the product of an extremely legalistic Methodist Chapel in the north of England. She carried guilt for matters where no guilt attached.

So the answer to your question must be almost a no.

Your first point about morality. In view of people being feared of behaving in any way less than politically correct, in view of heightened sensitivities and certain laws relating to what may be published and what may not, I must decline to answer in detail.

However, you've been involved with the Health Service for a working lifetime. You must surely understand there are always consequences to wrong life decisions. Smoking, for instance, carries its own penalties as does excessive drinking. I could go on. But sexual promiscuity has its own unwanted consequences. I need not spell them out.

I believe, with some amount of conviction, the rise in abortion numbers, and STI infections, is a direct result of the general acceptance of a weak moral code promulgated by liberal thinkers. The need for an abortion does not stand in isolation, no, it is a consequence of an action.

And here stands the clear distinction between right and wrong.
We all have a conscience. That stands as the guardian of the soul. Crossing the boundaries of conscience will result in unwanted consequences. Some may be remedied but many may not. Valium does not address the underlying cause of depression. No, that's a spiritual matter and must be dealt with spiritually, and very carefully. Forgiveness is one of the sweetest things, but so few seek it.

Jean mark, please do not understand I am a religious man. I am not. But I am a deeply spiritual, compassionate man. As said, a one size fits all law will never work well. There must always be a place for compassion and understanding which cannot be defined in law.

My point about special cases in the context of this subject refers to this: a woman, or girl, who wilfully neglects herself and engages in promiscuity with the resulting consequences is not a special case. That is self inflicted. A woman, or girl, who is raped, or coerced/blackmailed, and faces the physical consequences is a special case and all compassion and urgency must be employed to restore her. Better than restore, re-form her so she may face life without guilt, without unwanted child and without any stigma.

I would add, where a woman's life is in danger if she carries a child to term, then an abortion is required and must be offered her. But abortion should never, not ever, be the ultimate form of contraception.

Depends on the reason for the termination. Fetal anomaly scans are not performed before 18 weeks. There then may be other tests performed to confirm genetic abnormalities for example.

It would be quite boring if we always agreed. I think free contraceptives should be available. Abortion should always be a last resort.