FSRH press release: FSRH and RCOG launch free abortion care resource for secondary schools

Today the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) launch a free educational resource on abortion care to support teachers with relationships and sex education (RSE) lessons in secondary schools in the UK.

The joint FSRH-RCOG leaflet aims to ensure that professionals involved in educating young people have a factually accurate, unbiased and evidence-based source of information about abortion care in the UK. The leaflet counters myths such as that abortion causes infertility, breast cancer and mental illness.

The FSRH-RCOG abortion leaflet is officially endorsed by Public Health England (PHE), PSHE Association and Sex Education Forum.

Professor Lesley Regan, President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), said:

“Young people have the right to access accurate information about their emotional, physical and sexual and reproductive health. It is crucial that they are equipped with accurate and evidence based medical information which can cut through many of the myths and false information. This new resource can be used in secondary schools in all communities across the country and will help to inform students about sexual and reproductive healthcare, including all their pregnancy options, one of which is abortion.”

Dr Asha Kasliwal, President of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH), said:

“Despite being a common medical procedure, myths about abortion are widespread. A 2012 Ofsted evaluation found that teachers needed more support and training to teach sexual and reproductive health themes.

“FSRH believes that young people have the right to access factually accurate, unbiased information about sexual and reproductive health to help avoid unplanned pregnancies. They also need age-appropriate relationships and sex education in secondary schools so they are aware of the facts about abortion care. This makes resources such as the FSRH-RCOG leaflet important and relevant.”

The FSRH-RCOG abortion leaflet and a Q&A can be found here.

You have a media enquiry, please contact Camila Azevedo at externalaffairsmanager@fsrh.org and Gozde Zorlu at GZorlu@rcog.org.uk