Poland still flouts the right to abortion a little more. After introducing emergency contraception on prescription, then abandoning funding for in vitro fertilization from the state budget, the Ministry of Health announced on Monday, June 6 set up a “pregnancy registry”officially to allow any doctor to help patients.
According to the decree, information on pregnancy must appear in this famous register in the same way as information on past or current illnesses, medical visits, treatments or blood group. But in addition to the medical staff, the prosecution could also have access to these registers subject to a court decision.
Abortion already almost banned in Poland
In this countries where abortion is already almost forbiddenthis new provision greatly worries the opposition, which accuses the government of setting up a “new tool of repression” towards women. Today in Poland, abortion is only authorized in two very specific cases: when it resulted from an illegal act and when it represents a risk to the health and life of the mother only. Since October 2020, even in the event of malformation of the fetus, pregnant women are prohibited from having an abortion.
“The register was born to be able to persecute and control Polish women, to create a new tool of repression, (…) of political influence of the State on our lives, on our health”regrets MP Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz to the Polish press.
“For six years, slice by slice, the reproductive rights of women have been restricted” Poland. “First, we introduce emergency contraception on prescription (…), then in vitro fertilization is no longer financed by the state budget“, alarmed another MP Kataryzna Lubnauer.
Nearly 200,000 illegal abortions every year
Poland, 2,000 legal abortions per year are said to be carried out in the country according to figures reported by The world. But this would only be the tip of the iceberg: feminist organizations believe thatapproximately 200,000 abortions would be carried out illegally or abroad by Polish women, sometimes risking their lives.
By way of comparison, France allows abortion up to 14 weeks of pregnancyi.e. 16 weeks after the start of the last menstrual period, without any justification being necessary.
Read also:
- “Access to abortion saves lives”: the call of the head of the WHO to protect the right to abortion
- In Poland, the right to abortion soon (still) restricted?
- Medical abortion by telemedicine as effective as in the clinic
