Abbott has served on a number of parliamentary committees on social and international issues and held shadow ministerial positions in successive Shadow Cabinets. For most of the 1990s, she also served on the Treasury Select Committee of the House of Commons. She went on to serve on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. She gave birth to her son in October 1991, one year before the House of Commons introduced a crèche. She did not have maternity leave and was obliged to attend Parliament and vote throughout her pregnancy. Giving birth on a Monday, she was made to work until the Thursday before, and returned to parliament eight days later.