II. Young People’s Attitudes to Abortion for Abnormality

To find out more about how young people describe and discuss their opinions about abortion for abnormality I conducted a study which comprised a questionnaire survey of the attitudes to abortion law of 300 school and university students. This was designed to examine the strength of support for legal abortion and especially for abortion in cases of fetal abnormality. In addition 10 focus groups were conducted with students about their views on abortion for abnormality. The survey results confirmed the findings of previous research: most young people considered that abortion should be legal. Just over 45 percent said they agreed with the 1967 Act and another 30 percent said the Act is `too strict (they were informed of the provisions of the Act). It seems that young people have no desire to see the law make women continue a pregnancy against their will and this is especially the case where a fetal abnormality is detected: 76 percent agreed that abortion for abnormality should be allowed under the 1967 Act (the full results of this survey appear in Lee and Davey 1998). (excerpt)