Abortion law across Britain relies on broad grounds related to women’s health and wellbeing and the expected outcomes for their pregnancy. Fetal sex alone is not a lawful ground for abortion in Britain.
There are circumstances in which women may encounter pressure, coercion, or violence as a result of fetal sex, most commonly because they are expecting a girl. This is a violence against women and girls issue rooted in gender inequality.
We believe that creating a specific criminal offence relating to sex-selective abortion would put women at risk of harm by deterring disclosure, undermining safeguarding and restricting access to care. It could also harm patients and families with a history of severe sex-linked conditions, for whom decisions relating to fetal sex and abortion are not about preference or discrimination, but about avoiding profound suffering, intensive medical intervention, or early death.
Across Britain, an abortion cannot be authorised on the basis of fetal sex alone. The patient must meet one of the grounds laid out in the Abortion Act 1967.
The Abortion Act does not prohibit a doctor from authorising an abortion where a patient has referenced the sex of her fetus as part of her decision-making. There may be compelling individual circumstances where the sex of the fetus plays a role in a patient's request for an abortion and in the doctors' decision to authorise it.
For families with a known history of severe sex-linked conditions, for example, knowledge of fetal sex may be the only available indicator of risk. In these circumstances, decisions relating to fetal sex are not about preference or discrimination, but about avoiding profound suffering, intensive medical intervention, or early death.
The legal framework surrounding abortion was updated in England and Wales in April 2026. Women can no longer be criminalised in relation to their own pregnancy or abortion.
The law is unchanged for violent or coercive partners and family members who may be involved in seeking sex-selective abortion. This law carries a maximum life sentence. Healthcare professionals can face criminal sanction for performing an abortion outside of the terms of the Abortion Act
In Scotland, the legal position is more complex, but women have not previously been targeted under the common law on abortion.
In Northern Ireland, women cannot be criminalised in relation to their own pregnancies.
There are circumstances in which women may be forced into sex-selective abortion by violent partners or family members. This is a violence against women and girls issue, rooted in gender inequality, which needs to be taken seriously and acted upon. But the answer does not lie in further criminalising abortion.
Criminalisation can make coercion harder to detect. If a woman is under pressure to terminate a pregnancy, she needs to be able to discuss in confidence what is happening so that appropriate help and support can be provided. When patients fear criminal consequences, they may be less likely to disclose coercion or violence to healthcare professionals. Professionals may be forced to prioritise legal risk over safeguarding, while abusive partners and family members can gain more control.
There are also risks for patients and families affected by severe sex-linked conditions. Specialist organisations including Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) and Genetic Alliance UK have warned that further legislation against so-called “sex-selective abortion” risks causing significant unintended harm to women and families.
For families with a known history of severe sex-linked conditions, knowledge of fetal sex may be the only available indicator of risk. Legislation foregrounding fetal sex could create a “chilling effect” on clinical decision-making, with doctors practising defensive medicine for fear of prosecution even where an abortion is sought in relation to serious fetal anomaly or maternal wellbeing. This could result in:
patients withholding information from clinicians
reduced access to counselling and genetic support
delays in care
increased distress and trauma
Abortion care in England and Wales is already delivered within a tightly regulated healthcare and safeguarding framework. Patients are asked explicitly about domestic abuse and coercion, with targeted risk assessments where concerns are identified.
Staff receive specialised training, and providers work with NHS, local authority, police and third-sector partners when concerns arise. Where sex-selective abortion is suspected, a multidisciplinary approach is used to assess risk, and support informed decision-making, and ensure safe outcomes for women and their families.