Abortion laws are Victorian era, says grieving mum
Abortion laws are Victorian era, says grieving mum

Elen Hughes, who lost her son Danial at 37-and-a-half weeks, says police guidance is “terrible”.
Read the full article on BBC Health
Truth Analysis
Analysis Summary:
The article's accuracy is mixed. While the core narrative of a grieving mother is likely true, the broader claim about abortion laws being "Victorian era" requires more context and is presented with a clear slant. Some claims are not directly verifiable with the provided sources.
Detailed Analysis:
- Claim:** Elen Hughes lost her son Danial at 37-and-a-half weeks. This is presented as a fact. *Verification Source #2:* mentions baby loss certificates, which indirectly supports the reality of such losses. However, the specific details of Elen Hughes' case are not verifiable with the provided sources.
- Claim:** Police guidance is "terrible". This is a subjective statement and reflects Elen Hughes' opinion. It is not factually verifiable.
- Claim:** Abortion laws are Victorian era. This is a broad statement. *Verification Source #1:* mentions the medical profession's reluctance to discuss illegal abortion in the 19th century, which provides some context for the historical aspect of abortion laws. However, the article snippet doesn't elaborate on how current laws directly mirror Victorian-era laws, making this claim difficult to fully verify and potentially misleading without further explanation. *Verification Source #3:* mentions different laws on late-term abortions in different Australian states and territories. This suggests that abortion laws are not uniform and are subject to change.
Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:
- Verification Source #1:* supports the idea that abortion was a sensitive topic in the Victorian era.
- Verification Source #2:* supports the idea that baby loss is a recognized and sensitive issue.
- Verification Source #3:* suggests that abortion laws are not static and vary by location.
- The provided sources do not directly contradict the claim that Elen Hughes lost her son, but they also do not independently verify it.
- The claim that abortion laws are "Victorian era" is not fully supported by the provided sources and requires further context to be accurately assessed. The statement implies a direct and unchanged continuation, which is likely an oversimplification.