The first abortion commercial on British television is to be broadcast next week - in defiance of concerns from family groups and church leaders.
The Marie Stopes organisation, which receives an estimated £30 million a year from the NHS to carry out abortions, is behind the controversial advert.
Angry campaigners claimed that Marie Stopes is taking advantage of a loophole in advertising regulations.
On Wednesday they called on the Advertising Standards Authority to ban the commercial until there is a proper public debate on whether it should be allowed.
They also warned Channel 4, which has agreed to broadcast the ad, that it should not take sides in the debate.
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"Channel 4, as a publicly-funded broadcaster, needs to reassure people that it is not going to take sides on one of the most controversial issues in British culture," said Simon Calvert, of The Christian Institute.
He added: "The public and Parliament are split right down the middle on this. Why on earth can't the regulator stop the advertising of abortion services on TV until there has been proper consideration?"
Marie Stopes should not be allowed to "ride roughshod over the widely held and deeply felt objections of a very large section of the British public", said Calvert.
Clinics which make a profit from carrying out abortions are banned from advertising their services on TV.
However, a loophole means that Marie Stopes, a "not for profit organisation", is not subject to the same restrictions.
The ad will be screened for the first time at 10.10pm on Monday during a new, live show - The Million Pound Drop - presented by Davina McCall.
The commercial will then run throughout June.
While the first showing of the ad is after the 9pm watershed, the organisation that pre-vets TV ads, Clearcast UK, has not imposed any restrictions on the time of day it can be aired.
Rather, there is a minimal protection to ensure it is not shown around children's programmes.
Marie Stopes is keeping details of the commercial secret. But its theme is "Are you late?", and features shots of worried-looking women.
Marie Stopes carries out 65 000 abortions a year in the UK. It receives fees estimated at more than 30m from the NHS to provide 80 percent of these as well as other services.
Calvert said: "People will be shocked to know how much public money is given to Marie Stopes to carry out abortions for the NHS.
"They will be more shocked some of that money is being used to promote the pro-abortion agenda."
Marie Stopes marketing director, Julie Douglas, said: "This ad is all about providing information so women have the confidence to know who they can call to reach people who will be non-judgmental.
"Despite the fact that one in three UK women will have an abortion in their lifetime, the subject is still not always openly or honestly discussed."
The ProLife Alliance claimed the commercial "will not provide full information about foetal development, the abortion procedure itself, the health risks which abortion poses for women, let alone the alternatives to abortion".
Channel 4 insisted it was not breaking any rules. "We believe it is up to viewers to form their own judgements about the content and messages that advertising contains," a spokesman said. - Daily Mail
