Ian Jones is chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, the largest provider of abortion services in the UK.

"We do advise women that there are a range of known side effects, and we do indicate that women will feel a range of emotions, some of which may be quite intense.

Every woman will have a different feeling about this particular crisis in her life

Ian Jones

"But there is no particular evidence to suggest that this is at anything other than a very minor rate.

"We saw 50,000 women last year, only 123 of which contacted us afterwards for additional advice - not that they were particularly distressed, but they wanted some further support for the decision they had taken.

"It is important to share with woman information that is relevant and important to them in making a decision about whether or not to have an abortion, such as the risk of bleeding or infection.

"But it is not necessary to talk about every single minor issue that could arise in the fullness of their lives.

"I suggest that people take the view of the Royal College of GPs and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists who have looked at the proper evidence on this.

"They have carried out an analysis of all the relevant evidence - not on surveys carried out by organisations that might have a political agenda.

"They have come to conclusion that there is only a very small risk that a woman will experience long-standing psychological consequences following an abortion.

"Conversely, there is evidence of long-term psychological affects for women who are denied an abortion."

Dr David Kingsley is a psychiatrist working at an NHS hospital in Liverpool and member of the pro-life charity Life.

"It is patently untrue to suggest that women who suffer psychiatric distress after an abortion probably had a previous history of psychiatric disorders.

"There is very good research evidence to show that in at least 10% of women they get marked severe or persistent psychiatric problems.

There is an atmosphere of denial which surrounds abortion throughout the process

Dr David Kingsley

"Other evidence shows that a woman's risk of suicide is three times higher than usual after an abortion, whereas after childbirth it reduces to half the usual risk.

"Mr Jones is giving a slightly misleading impression if he thinks a small number of women contacting the BPAS after an abortion is evidence that these women aren't having difficulties.

"The woman herself, for instance, claimed that it took her several years to admit to herself that the problems she was having were due to the abortion.

"We need to look at the evidence in an objective way, and the difficulty is that the Royal Colleges have an axe to grind in terms of supporting the status quo with regard to abortion.

"They are essentially representing abortion providers and in a sense it is impossible for them to face up to the fact that their members are causing illness, because if they did they would have to call into question their entire practice.

Denial

"There is an atmosphere of denial which surrounds abortion throughout the process.

"Firstly, in the clinic itself when both mothers and staff in order to do what they are doing have to deny the reality of a baby that by four weeks has a beating heart and by eight weeks has fingers and toes.

"And later both organisations and women themselves because of what they have done find it very hard to admit the effects that the abortion would have.

"All doctors need to give clear information about the nature and consequences of treatment in order to get informed consent.

"If they don't do that then essentially what is happening is an assault.

"One could argue that at the present time based on the current guidelines women are not really able to make an informed decision about whether to go ahead with an abortion or not."