Ireland's First Abortion Consultation and Counselling Telephone Service

national | gender and sexuality | press release Friday October 17, 2008 09:51 by Dorothy Gale - Marie Stopes International

Launched by Marie Stopes International

Marie Stopes International (MSI) has become the first reproductive
health agency to offer Irish women abortion consultation and
counselling services by telephone. The charity has also reduced its
fees by the average cost of a discount air fare from Ireland to
England, to alleviate the financial hardship faced by many Irish women
who have to travel overseas to obtain abortion services.

The new telephone service offers Irish women an alternative to 'face
to face' appointments and allows them to fully discuss their
circumstances or seek full counselling before they travel to England
to access abortion services. The telephone consultation and
counselling scheme has already met with great success in England and
Wales.

The telephone consultation service allows women to talk through their
situation and medical history with a specially trained professional
and discuss choices of treatment and contraception. Whilst they still
have to travel to one of MSI's nine centres in England for the scan,
blood test and the treatment itself, the telephone service offers
women immediate peace of mind and can reduce the time they need to
spend away from their family and commitments in Ireland.

The telephone counselling facility is offered to all women considering
an abortion as well as those who have already undergone the procedure
at an MSI centre. The telephone service offers women the opportunity
to discuss their feelings with a specially trained counsellor within a
familiar environment such as their home. All MSI counsellors give
impartial, non judgemental and non-directive advice.

"Marie Stopes International was the first agency in Britain to offer
abortion counselling and consultation services by telephone and we are
proud to be expanding this service to women in Northern Ireland and
the Republic of Ireland," explains Liz Davies, MSI's Director of UK
and West Europe.

"These services have already proved extremely popular with many
British women who have chosen to have a consultation and/or receive
counselling by phone because it is more convenient but also because
women often prefer to explore their feelings in a comfortable place.
There are also financial advantages for Irish women who opt for our
telephone services as the amount of time they have to spend in England
is kept to a minimum.

"We at MSI appreciate the difficulties faced by Irish women seeking an
abortion so we have also reduced the cost of our procedures for women
from Ireland by the cost of an average discount airfare to England"
explains Ms Davies.

"Deciding whether or not to have an abortion can be a difficult
decision and by making it easier for Irish women to access our variety
of services, we can help them make the right choice for their
circumstances."

The Marie Stopes 24 hour Abortion Helpline is: 00 44 (0)845 3008090

*For further information: *

Tony Kerridge:
tony.kerridge@mariestopes.org.uk
tel: 020 7034 2365 / 07748948037

http://www.mariestopes.org.uk/Home.aspx

http://www.reproductivechoices.ie/