Families of people with disabilities lobbying the Prime Minister on the Abortion Bill have found an ally in Labour MP Greg O'Connor.
The Ohariu MP and former police officer has an intellectually disabled son and says he's concerned about what will happen with post-20 week pregnancies under the proposed law.
It comes as abortion advocates reel from a mix-up in Parliament that saw proposed safe zones around abortion clinics voted down.
The bill is going through its third and final reading on Wednesday evening.
O'Connor says women should only have access to abortion after 20 weeks if there's a risk to her life, a risk of serious harm to her physical or mental health or if the foetus is so medically impaired it's unlikely to survive beyond birth.
But his Supplementary Order Paper to that effect was voted down 45 votes to 73.
O'Connor says he is pro-choice but believes women can be pressured to abort when they discover their unborn child has a disability.
He thinks the current bill could lead to more of that.
"Why I find it difficult to vote for the whole bill at the moment is that there is not sufficient criteria post-20 week to ensure pressure will not come on those with disabled children," he said.
Helen Morton-Jones whose 18-year-old son Gabriel has Downs Syndrome, said there are not enough protections for women faced with a tough decision.
"It'll happen under coercion of men who don't want to have a child with a disability. It happens all the time. Men are always coercing women into having abortions and at the moment that law protects women.
"I don't really think [Justice Minister] Andrew Little is thinking it through clearly. I think there are abortions happening after 20 weeks with a specialist but it doesn't mean it should be made law."
O'Connor says his proposal is a good compromise.
MP in charge of the bill, Andrew Little, told Parliament O'Connor's proposal would return New Zealand to the status quo where women have to lie about their mental health.
"Even at the post-20 week level, even where women are not required to lie. Remember at that point the decision is about a wanted pregnancy and the woman has been thrown into a health crisis that calls on her to confront a decision about abortion," Little told Parliament.
Morton-Jones says the new law will lead to the expectation women will have an abortion and New Zealand could end up like other countries that have almost entirely eliminated Downs Syndrome, through terminations.
She is one of more than 1,300 people who have signed a new petition asking the government to reconsider.
She said Jacinda Ardern promised to protect babies with disabilities when she pledged not to change the time periods already set out in law.
"[I'm] incredibly disappointed in Jacinda Ardern. She is not the politician she said she was going to be. She's broken her promises to us," Morton-Jones said.
"You have to wonder really what her big picture is for New Zealand people with disabilities."
In a confused vote in Parliament last week, David Seymour's amendment to remove a ban on protesters from abortion clinics was supported, meaning they will not be forced to stand 150 metres away.
Zealand Family Planning chief executive Jackie Edmond said she has not seen any recent bad behaviour outside clinics, but is disturbed by people protesting outside Parliament, holding up graphic signs.
She said even the presence of protesters can be intimidating for a young woman.
"It's pretty difficult to go into a health service and see someone protesting outside if you're somebody going to talk about an abortion.
"So they're not necessarily harassing individuals… But it's intimidating to see that sort of protesting outside a clinic."
Michelle Kaufman organises the 40 Days of Action group, which protests outside abortion clinics in Auckland and says every member must sign statements of peace and abide by the law.
"To know that there's somebody else there that are willing to help her in her time of need – because a lot of women don't actually necessarily think this is the best solution but they feel they have no other choice.
"So we offer a lot of practical help and support."
Kaufman said she very rarely talks to women who pass by and does so only when they approach her asking for help.
She says she provides yet another safety net for some women who would rather have their baby but haven't yet been given any support to do so.
The Abortion Legislation Bill must pass a third reading vote in Parliament before becoming law.
