Midwives, Abortion, and the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861
The Convalescence by Gustave Léonard de Jonghe, (1829-1893).
Under the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861, any pregnant woman who acted with intent to “procure her own miscarriage” was guilty of a felony and could, if convicted, be sentenced to “penal servitude for life.” This same law that punished women who attempted to rid themselves of an unwanted pregnancy also punished the nurses and midwives who were frequently engaged to assist them. In most cases, it was impossible to enforce the law. However, when a woman died as a result of complications following an abortion, the person who had performed the procedure could be charged with murder and even sentenced to death.[…]Continue Reading
