Call The Midwife praised for illegal abortion story

Call The Midwife viewers have praised the programme for the way it handled the issue of backstreet abortions.

The hit drama about midwives in the East End in the 1960s returned to BBC One for an eighth series on Sunday night.

In the episode, nurse Valerie (Jennifer Kirby) helped a woman who miscarried after having an abortion, which was illegal at the time.

Fans were moved by the storyline and said it showed why women should be entitled to have the procedure legally.

“Well done to #CallTheMidwife for tackling the illegal abortion issue. This is why everyone should have access to free & safe abortion services,” said one person on Twitter.

Another said the drama’s writers “never shy away from controversial story lines or highlighting social issues of the time”, adding: “Such sensitivity and compassion shown.”

“You’d like to think back street abortions were a thing of the past, until you consider they’re still illegal in some parts of the UK, i.e. Northern Ireland,” said another.

One viewer said: “To all those believing #abortion should still be illegal in this day and age need to sit and watch #callthemidwife a difficult subject as always so carefully handled.”

One person posted: “1964 really wasn’t that long ago but it’s disgusting to think some women don’t have the right to make that decision today!”

“I hope all the bigots who want to make abortion illegal watched #callthemidwife & realise making abortion illegal will not stop them from happening,” tweeted another.

“It would take it back to a time when women had high risk precedures by unqualified people & was a risk of deadly infections.”

“It’s horrible that women had to go through that just because abortions were illegal,” one viewer posted.

“Shocking that it is still illegal in some countries.”

Call The Midwife continues on BBC One.