Bids to cut the time-limit for abortion in Britain from 24 weeks to 12 or 16 weeks were defeated in the House of Commons tonight.
Voting on a 12-week limit was 71 to 393, majority 322 against. A move to reduce the time-limit to 16 weeks was lost by 387 to 84, a majority of 303.
MPs also rejected a cross-party move for doctors to consider the need for a father in offering fertility treatment by 292 votes to 217, a majority of 75.
The votes were among a series of ballots on amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
Last night MPs voted to allow the creation of hybrid human-animal embryos for medical research.
Around 200,000 legal abortions are carried out on women in Britain each year. At least 5,000 of those women give addresses in Ireland.
Much of the debate centred on whether advances in medical science since abortion was first legalised in Britain 40 years ago have improved the viability of a foetus outside the womb below 24 weeks.
The issue is particularly controversial and MPs were allowed to vote according to their consciences rather than along party lines.
