Leading pregnancy doctors are joining calls for abortion to be decriminalised.
It is currently illegal to have a termination in England, Wales and Scotland unless you have approval from two doctors.
But a vote by a handful of leading figures at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists called for abortion to be regulated in line with other procedures but not carry a criminal sanction.
RCOG president Professor Lesley Regan said: 'I want to be clear that decriminalisation does not mean deregulation, and abortion services should be subject to regulatory and professional standards, in line with other medical procedures.'
It comes after the main doctors' union the British Medical Association backed the decriminalisation of abortion in June.
But the decision at the RCOG was met with protests from hundreds of other doctors who were denied a vote after senior figures opted to hold a secret ballot among just the 33 members of the body's council.
More than 650 signed a letter to Professor Regan before the vote saying it was 'completely unacceptable' that the majority of RCOG members are being denied the chance to vote.
Christian charity CARE oppose the decision and chief executive Nola Leach said the body 'risks severely damaging its reputation' by pursuing a 'radical stance' on abortion.
'An issue of conscience and of this magnitude should not be taken by just 33 members,' she said.
'This motion has been shrouded in secrecy, even to the point where the RCOG members have not even seen the wording of it, and crucially have not been allowed to vote on it.
'Abortion carries inherent risks and that is why there are protections in place to support women and the unborn child. Decriminalising abortion would remove these protections, severely limiting the amount of care that women can receive.
'For example, getting two doctors to sign off on an abortion means that women have the time to talk through any concerns they have with a medical professional. It's also a crucial step in making sure that the woman is not being coerced into having a termination.'
