In some countries, women are allowed to take the first abortion pill in the clinic and the second one in their home.

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service, a major abortion provider, had argued that the wording of the current law defined the role of the clinic in relation to prescribing abortion pills rather than directly overseeing their administration.

The court rejected BPAS’ argument, thereby upholding the status quo in Britain which requires women to take both pills in a clinic.

The ruling was welcomed by Andrea Minichiello Williams, director of Christian Concern.

She said: “It is a welcome message in a society which has been led to believe that abortion is an easy answer to an unplanned pregnancy.

“Women need support during what can be a very traumatic time. If women self-abort in their own homes they could find it isolating and dangerous.”

Although the judge ruled out reinterpreting the law, he maintained that under the 1967 Abortion Act, as amended in 1990, the Secretary of State could “approve a wider range of place, including potentially the home” and the conditions under which certain medicine may be administered there.

BPAS has expressed its intention to press the Secretary of State to include a woman’s home as a ‘class of place’ for abortions.

Ms Williams expressed her opposition to any further changes to Britain’s abortion laws.

She said: “Britain has some of the most liberal abortion laws in Europe and one of the highest abortion rates, and we need to reduce the number of abortions and tighten the law, not relax it.”