( CNN ) -- To date , Britain has avoided the politicized and polarized abortion debate that is so prevalent in the U.S . Traditionally , our political parties have seen abortion as a 'private ' matter of personal and public 'health ' and not a matter of rights . The law gives women no 'right ' to abortion as in most Western democracies -- but , if two doctors certify that it 's best for her health and well-being and the pregnancy is less than 24 weeks gestation , abortion is a legal option . Most people support this . We want people to be able to plan their families and to support and be responsible for their children , yet we know contraception sometimes fails and people fail to use it . Abortion , as a back up to birth control , is generally seen as regrettable , but a fact of life . Even in Northern Ireland , where abortion remains illegal , it 's accepted that women travel to the mainland . I am stunned when I talk with American colleagues about the violence and intimidation that their abortion doctors face . For them , a typical protest is several hundred strong -- for us a large protest is sometimes several dozen protesters , but more typically it is just several individuals . But , small as our protests are , they upset and disrupt women seeking safe and legal care from legitimate pregnancy advisory services . In recent weeks the Bedford Square clinic of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service ( bpas ) , close to London 's Oxford Street , has been the focus of a Lent-long 40 days for Life vigil . It is a 'mini-me ' version of U.S. campaigns . Women attending the clinic face a gathering of people praying for them to reject abortion . They are handed leaflets with fanciful claims about how abortion will raise their risk of cancer and mental illness . They are shown 'life-size ' models of their unborn baby and subjected to 'pavement counselling ' to encourage them to 'choose life . ' For the present at least , women are no longer tormented with 'gifts ' of little knitted baby bootees , a feature of some previous vigils . The problem with the protests is this : the protesters oppose abortion in principle -- but their actions are against women who want to consider abortion -- not in principle -- but as a private medical solution to a personal , individual problem . Women attend our clinics for care or counseling because they need help . They do not come to demonstrate support for abortion . The protesters should leave them alone , to deal with their problems privately with those they have chosen to seek help from . As the main abortion provider in Britain , bpas is not shy of debate . Public education is part of our job and seeing more than 60,000 women with problem pregnancies each year puts us in a good position to explain what these women want and need . Of course , society should debate the rights and wrongs of abortion . There are places for that and persons who are ready and willing to engage with the issues . Outside a clinic is the wrong place , and women in immediate need of care are the wrong audience . The protesters have allies in the UK Parliament to voice their concerns . They have no need spend 40 days in the cold plaguing women . It is my job to answer for what bpas does , and I could not be more proud of the charity , its staff and its work . Bpas really is 'genuinely ' pro-choice . Part of our charitable mission is to alleviate distress in relation to fertility by providing advice , treatment and assistance . In the past we have provided infertility care as well as abortion -- and we hope to do so in the future . One marvelous response to the protests was that some complete stranger to bpas set up a website encouraging support for us . The comments posted speak volumes . Those who accuse us of running 'abortion mills ' should ponder this comment by 'S ' on March 17 , 2012 : `` Your advice and support helped me decide the right thing to do was keep my baby . Being able to talk through my choices without judgment was undoubtedly the most important part of that process . Long may you be able to support other women like me . '' When a woman comes to us with a 'problem pregnancy , ' if she is undecided , our first aim is to help her to make the decision that she feels is right for her . We may not be able to make her feel 'happy ' about her decision ; she may choose what seems the 'least worst ' option -- but the decision will have been hers . This is what the protesters , who stand with their banners or lurk around our clinic entrances soliciting the attention of women approaching our doors , refuse to understand . They boast of the occasional woman they 'turn away ' -- but refuse to accept that thousands of 'bpas clients ' decide against abortion in any case . And we are glad when they are satisfied with that decision just as we are glad when a woman is satisfied with her abortion decision . That is what it means to be pro-choice . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ann Furedi .
Abortion is a legal option in the UK if doctors agree . Ann Furedi says she is stunned by the intimidation that abortion doctors face in the U.S. `` Women attend our clinics for care or counseling because they need help , '' she says . Ann Furedi argues that protesters refuse to accept that thousands of 'bpas clients ' decide against abortion .