Government backbencher Deo Debattista this evening urged the government to set up a “pro-life” clinic to help expectant mothers thinking of aborting their unborn children.

Speaking during the adjournment, Dr Debattista said many women were not being helped to the full and problem cases needed urgent assistance, including easier access to adoption.

It was true that both the government and the NGO, “Gift of Life - Hope”, provided useful services but it was not enough to legislate against abortion if women between two minds whether to abort or not were not helped both psychologically and mentally to desist abortion.

The setting up of a pro-life clinic would be a quantum leap not only to help the expectant mother but also to protect the unborn child.

In Malta, he said, there was unanimous agreement between the political parties that abortion was a no-go.

The only records of Maltese women resorting to abortion overseas was from the UK Department of Health which showed there was an annual average of 61 abortions between 2009 and 2013.

It was not known how many had resorted to abortion in other European countries but Dr Rebecca Gomperts had estimated that some 300 expectant Maltese mothers aborted every year.