Sinn Féin to discuss abortion at Ard Fheis after Adams backs policy change, Sinn Féin's president has said he is backing a change to his party's policy on abortion in cases of fatal foetal abnormality.
Gerry Adams spoke to the BBC's Inside Politics show ahead of the conference.
The issue will be debated later on Saturday at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Londonderry.
On Friday, Martin McGuinness told delegates there needed to be "compassion in politics".
The tragic cases of expectant mothers who are told their babies will not survive after their birth are the subject of a current Stormont consultation on possible changes to Northern Ireland's abortion law.
When the same issue was raised in a bill rejected by the Dáil in Dublin last month, Sinn Féin TDs abstained.
However, now Mr Adams has said he is backing a change in his party's policy.
He told Inside Politics: "I have listened very intently to testimony from parents dealing with fatal foetal abnormalities.
"We have to be very compassionate about this.Obviously, there are some women who want to continue with their pregnancy to full term and we need to support them, but there are others who feel they are not able to do that and we need to deal with both groups with the absolute maximum of support."
The party's deputy leader Martin McGuinness has already backed a change in the party's policy on abortions in limited circumstances.
In January, he said he had been moved by meeting Sarah Ewart, a woman from Northern Ireland who had to travel to England for an abortion because her baby had no chance of survival.
On Friday night at the opening of the Ard Fheis, Mr McGuinness told delegates that there needed to be "compassion for expectant mothers like Sarah Ewart dealing with the heartache of fatal foetal abnormality".
The deputy first minister also welcomed delegates to his hometown and said he hoped Sinn Féin would become the largest party on both sides of the border.
Gerry Adams spoke to the BBC's Inside Politics show ahead of the conference.
The issue will be debated later on Saturday at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Londonderry.
On Friday, Martin McGuinness told delegates there needed to be "compassion in politics".
The tragic cases of expectant mothers who are told their babies will not survive after their birth are the subject of a current Stormont consultation on possible changes to Northern Ireland's abortion law.
When the same issue was raised in a bill rejected by the Dáil in Dublin last month, Sinn Féin TDs abstained.
However, now Mr Adams has said he is backing a change in his party's policy.
He told Inside Politics: "I have listened very intently to testimony from parents dealing with fatal foetal abnormalities.
"We have to be very compassionate about this.Obviously, there are some women who want to continue with their pregnancy to full term and we need to support them, but there are others who feel they are not able to do that and we need to deal with both groups with the absolute maximum of support."
The party's deputy leader Martin McGuinness has already backed a change in the party's policy on abortions in limited circumstances.
In January, he said he had been moved by meeting Sarah Ewart, a woman from Northern Ireland who had to travel to England for an abortion because her baby had no chance of survival.
On Friday night at the opening of the Ard Fheis, Mr McGuinness told delegates that there needed to be "compassion for expectant mothers like Sarah Ewart dealing with the heartache of fatal foetal abnormality".
The deputy first minister also welcomed delegates to his hometown and said he hoped Sinn Féin would become the largest party on both sides of the border.
