A judicial review of how Northern Ireland's abortion laws are applied has begun at the High Court.

The action is being taken by the Family Planning Association (FPA), which has said the existing laws on abortion in the province are confusing.

The charity wants the court to order the Department of Health to publish clear guidelines on how pregnancy terminations are provided under existing law.

Abortions in Northern Ireland are still strictly limited, and can only go ahead if it can be proved that the pregnancy would damage the physical or mental health of the woman.

Pro-life opposition

The FPA has said the majority of women who decide to terminate a pregnancy are forced to travel to Britain.

It has estimated that about 65,000 women have travelled from Northern Ireland in the last 20 years for an abortion in Britain, paying up to �1,000 to private clinics.

But it has said it is not aiming for the 1967 Abortion Act to be extended to Northern Ireland.

The Act legalised abortions in England and Wales, but it was never introduced in Northern Ireland.

Representatives from the association will have half a day to give their evidence to the court.

The court will allow another half day to hear evidence from the Department of Health.

Four anti-abortion groups are also to give evidence.

They are a group of Catholic bishops, the Precious Life lobby group, the Society for the Protection for the Unborn Child and the Care and Life Alliance.

'No change'

Earlier this month Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid said he had no plans to change the law on abortion in the province.

Dr Reid confirmed the position in a letter to North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds who wants the current law retained.

The court action will begin after the Republic of Ireland public rejected in a referendum this month a government proposal to make abortion for Irish women who are suicidal because of their pregnancy illegal.

Abortion in all other circumstances is illegal in the Irish Republic.