The UK House of Lords approved legalizing abortion at any stage of pregnancy, including the day of birth.

In the midst of a climate of strong political and moral controversy, the Parliament of the United Kingdom moved forward with a reform that many analysts consider to be one of the most radical in terms of abortion in Europe. The decision was backed by the House of Lords, which gave the green light to an amendment that opens the door to the expansion of abortion at any time of pregnancy, even on the same day of birth, within the framework of a larger bill on crime and police

The vote in the upper house left a convincing result: 185 votes against and 148 in favor of the amendment that sought to stop the elimination of criminal sanctions for terminating pregnancy, even at very advanced stages of pregnancy. By rejecting that proposal, the lords allowed the liberalization process, which had previously passed the procedure in the House of Commons, to continue. With this new parliamentary step, the path for its definitive implementation is practically clear

Until now, abortion was classified as a crime, although it was allowed under certain conditions—usually up to 24 weeks—and with exceptions in serious situations. The new provision eliminates this criminal component for women, which represents a significant break with the previous system and consolidates an approach to total decriminalization

During the legislative debate, other proposals related to the topic were also discussed. One of them sought to re-establish mandatory face-to-face consultations before prescribing abortion pills. However, the initiative was rejected by 191 votes to 119, which implies that the model established during the pandemic, which allows early abortions to be performed at home, will be maintained. In parallel, the chamber gave the green light to another relevant measure: pardoning women who had been convicted in the past for terminating their own pregnancies, thus reinforcing the approach to decriminalization promoted by progressive sectors of the