流产其实很安全?

　　Pregnant women should be told that having an abortion is safer than having a baby, highly contentious new advice from doctors states。

　　The guidelines, from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, also say that most women who terminate a pregnancy will not suffer any psychological problems as a result。

　　The guidance, which is still in draft form, has horrified medical ethicists and Christian groups, who say it forces an 'absurdly liberal agenda' on women in a vulnerable situation。

　　One of the first sections, on 'what women need to know' about abortion, states that major complications are rare and that women 'should be advised that abortion is generally safer than continuing a pregnancy to term'。

　　But critics called on the RCOG to produce the evidence to back its claim, and added that many complications caused by abortions will be recorded in A&E and other stats and so are missing from the official tally。

　　Trevor Stammers, a former GP and a lecturer in medical ethics at St Mary's University College in Surrey, said the RCOG had ignored one the most authoritative studies into the psychiatric effects of abortion。

　　He also accused it of rushing out the updated guidance ahead of a Royal College of Psychiatry report into the psychological effects of abortion。

　　Speaking in a personal capacity, Professor Patricia Casey, a consultant psychiatrist and fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, told the Sunday Telegraph: "The message this sends out is very worrying."

　　"There are more than 30 studies showing an association between psychological trauma and abortion."

　　But Ann Furedi, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said: "This guidance isn't a political document and isn't trying to persuade women to have abortions."