Updated 7.30pm with Doctor's for Life reaction

Almost 500 women received abortion pills at home from a telemedicine service in 2023, Doctors for Choice have said. 

That represents a 16 per cent increase from the corresponding figure in 2022 and continues a years-long trend that has seen demand for abortion pills through the service, run by Women on Web and Women Help Women, grow significantly year on year.   

The real number of women who obtained an abortion in Malta last year is likely to be significantly higher, as the figure does not include anyone who travels abroad to have an abortion or those who source abortion pills through other means.

Doctors for Choice said the data clearly showed that “abortion is already in Malta and more people are opting to terminate their pregnancy in their own homes.”

“Terminating a pregnancy using abortion pills at home is considered safe up to 12 weeks of pregnancy by authoritative medical organisations, including the World Health Organisation,” the organisation said.

“Women in Malta should not be considered criminal for accessing abortion care services that are legal in all other EU states, and yet we continue to see cases in Malta of vulnerable women being summoned in front of courts for terminating their own pregnancy.”

Malta maintains the EU’s strictest anti-abortion laws, despite legal amendments passed last year. Previously, abortion was illegal in all circumstances.

The amendments initially sought to allow doctors to perform abortions when a woman’s life was in danger or health at risk. Following national protests, the government watered down the amendments to only allow doctors to abort if doctors believe the woman may die without one.

Pro-choice activists groups were dismayed at the changes and on Saturday Doctors for Choice reiterated that stance by saying the law as enacted “is not fit for purpose.”

“The new law will not help women who experience complications in pregnancy similar to that of Andrea Prudente, and it does not consider the plight of those who are victims of sexual crime or who receive a diagnosis of severe fetal anomaly,” they said.

Prudente was a US tourist who experienced medical complications while holidaying in Malta and had to be airlifted to Spain to obtain an abortion. The case sparked debate and international attention and prompted legislators to propose amendments to abortion laws.

Doctors for Choice noted that two local doctors, Isabel Stabile and Natalie Psaila, now offer a free Abortion Doula Support Service which people can ring for free abortion advice.

The organisation has also recently launched a Contraception Helpline on 20341685 to provide free advice on contraception to anyone, and aims to keep unwanted pregnancy rates down.

Doctors for Life's reaction

Doctors for Life reacting to reports about 500 home abortion kits being supplied in 2023 emphasised that solutions should focus on socioeconomic support and contraception and not ending human life through home abortion.

The pro-life doctor's group explained that regardless of the accuracy of the figure quoted by the pro-abortion group, it must be made clear "that such abortions taking place before the 12th week of pregnancy involve a foetus that is a rapidly developing human being"

The development of a foetus "starts in earnest after fertilisation," they said  "and by week 12, the unborn child is fully developed. All the organs, muscles, limbs, and bones are in place, and the sex organs are well developed. From now on, the baby has to grow and mature."

The group stated that legal protection of the unborn child "reflects the scientific truth that the human foetus is alive and therefore fully merits safeguarding.

They highlighted the need for more widely available affordable contraception and the inclusion of contraception on the government formulary.

Doctors for Life acknowledged that crisis pregnancies do nevertheless happen and that such women must be granted socioeconomic support to avoid ending an unborn human life.

This assistance is available, they stressed, and awareness should be raised to ensure women are informed of such socio-economic assistance.