When we talk aboutvoluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion), we immediately summon a host of fairly stubborn prejudices. These are (too) often used by detractors of abortion to condemn this right, granted to French women since the Veil law of 1975. Thus, according to the versions, women who abort are “irresponsible”, could not ” not really what they do ”and would often come from“ disadvantaged social classes ”…
Stop! A new study, published in October 2016, deconstructs the clichés. Researchers from the University of California (in the United States) worked with 500 women wishing to benefit from an abortion, registered in 4 family schedules in Utah. They answered questionnaires concerning their psychological state before the voluntary termination of pregnancy, then again 3 weeks after.
On average, the participants were 25 years old, had never had children, and were Caucasian. The majority of the women were employed or students and lived in a relationship with the man involved in the unwanted pregnancy.
“The reflection period is unnecessary”
Results ? The pre-abortion questionnaires revealed that more than 50% of respondents answered “yes” to the following statements: “I know my rights”, “I know the alternatives available to me” and “I am sure of my decision”. In contrast, very few women answered “yes” to “this decision was easy to make” but less than 1% of women felt “undecided”. Three weeks later, 89% of participants had received a abortion : the others had continued the pregnancy.
“This work shows that women are not irresponsible vis-à-vis abortion, conclude the researchers, who have been published in the scientific journal Contraception Journal. It is therefore completely unnecessary to impose a “reflection period” on them or force them to listen to the fetal heart before the procedure. “
In France, the Health Law (promulgated on Wednesday January 27, 2016) abolished the reflection period compulsory pre-abortion. Before, it was seven days.
To read :
IVG: 85% of French women in favor
Abortion: 7 out of 10 women still using contraception
