Published Tuesday, 27 October 2009
In March, the Department of Health published new guidance for professionals explaining the circumstances of when a termination may be carried out.
The publication came five years after the Court of Appeal ruled that the government should inquire into the provision of termination services.
Abortion is illegal in Northern Ireland, except in circumstances where the mother's life or mental health are considered at risk.
The guidelines were criticised by a lawyer for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) which is seeking a judicial review.
Their lawyer James Dingemans, QC, said the guidelines contained legal errors, were vague in relation to consent and misrepresented the law in Northern Ireland.
The result, he argued, was that confusion still remained in such a vital area.
Pro-life campaigner Liam Gibson told UTV the law needs clarified.
"We believe that the guidance does not fully reflect the illegality of abortion in Northern Ireland. Abortion is a criminal offence, it is not a medical treatment," he said.
"This has almost been sidelined by the way the department has decided to represent the law so it is misleading or potentially misleading."