Around 100 women and girls have been investigated on suspicion of having illegal abortions since at-home medical terminations were legalised during the pandemic, it has emerged.
Home abortions were approved at the end of March 2020 by then Health Secretary Matt Hancock when Covid lockdown restricted access to termination services.
The new rules allowed women within the first ten weeks of pregnancy to take the first pill at home following a face-to-face or teleconsultation with a clinician.
Healthcare providers are now claiming they have seen a 'sharp increase' in requests by police to share medical records and other personal data of women who have sought help with abortions or stillbirths, The Times reported.