A woman in Northern Ireland is taking a legal case over alleged failings to issue concrete guidelines on abortion there.

According to The Irish Times, the unnamed woman travelled to England in 2013 to procure a termination of twins suffering foetal abnormalities after doctors treating her at a hospital in Belfast cited uncertainty in the law in Northern as a reason for refusing her an abortion. Unlike the UK, Northern Ireland restricts abortion to specific cases where the mother’s life or mental well-being are threatened.

The woman says she has taken her case both as a result of the heightened trauma the incident caused her and to prevent other women suffering the same fate when faced with difficulties during pregnancy. Her legal representatives are working towards forcing the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to review its guidelinesfor medical staff and to publish those guidelines, describing ongoing delays as “unacceptable”.

Since the commencement of the legal action, the woman at the centre of the case has undergone another termination, this time in Northern Ireland after consultants agreed that carrying her foetus to term would cause her mental harm.

Meanwhile, a pro-life group in Scotland has welcomed the devolution of abortion law to the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood from Westminster as an opportunity to protect the unborn.

Speaking on behalf of LIFE, Peter Sullivan said Scottish legislators had been handed a chance to undo the abuses and misinterpretations of the 1967 Abortion Act

“The fact that Scotland recorded over 11,000 abortions last year, at least one every hour, should be a cause for concern amongst lawmakers,” he said. “It is a fact that many of these terminations result in psychological damage to women.

“Holyrood should act where Westminster has failed in its duty to protect unborn children and pregnant women. It should make a fresh start with regards to the abhorrent abortion law which has grown arms and legs since it was first introduced in 1967.”