What is abortion?
An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy by using medicine or surgery to remove the fetus and placenta from the uterus. The procedure is done by a licensed health care professional. The decision to end a pregnancy is very personal however there are laws that guide this. Unless there is a risk to the mother or baby the procedure must be done within 24 weeks.
Causes of having an abortion
A Programmes Co-ordinator at Zimbabwe Cares for Life Trust says:
“Working with vulnerable women and girls, you understand that the main cause for abortion is largely owing to unplanned pregnancies. Usually, such unplanned pregnancies are due to adverse circumstances such as poverty and societal discrimination. Pregnancies as result of rape or sexual violence are also likely to be aborted and this is legalized through the Termination of Pregnancy Act 1977. Under this law termination of pregnancy is further permitted under two other circumstances that is if it endangers the life of the woman or threatens to permanently impair her physical health, or if the child may be born with serious physical or mental defects.”
According to the Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (2015), the unmet need for Family Planning among adolescent girls was 12.6%, this could be one of the causes of unwanted pregnancies. Zimbabwe committed to reduce it to 8.5% by 2020.
Consequences
An unsafe abortion may lead to death due to excessive bleeding and/or cervical tears as well as uterine rupture. Multiple abortions may also lead to infertility or miscarriage in cases of planned pregnancy in the future. Some local community members report that abortions may lead to stress, guilt, regret, anger or depression. In addition, the person may face rejection or stigmatization if discovered, particularly when living or staying in communities that do not approve of abortion based on religious or cultural grounds among other reasons. In certain communities’ discovery of abortion may lead to other serious consequences, including the apprehension of the “perpetrator”, who is thought to have committed murder by ending the life of their unborn child, especially when the fetus had reached advanced stages or developed most of its features.
Global Perspectives
Argentina
Argentina is the largest nation in Latin America to legalize abortion up to the 14th week of pregnancy by the National Congress in December 2020.The law is guaranteeing the procedure to be accessible for women beyond that in cases of rape or when a woman's or baby’s health is at risk. Health care centers that do not have the doctors who will willingly do this procedure, under the law must refer them to clinics that will. This was a huge win for those that protested every chance they could whilst wearing green scarfs/masks around their necks, the symbol of abortion rights activists.
South Africa
Under the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act, abortion was legalized in 1996 in South Africa. This law permits the procedure to be performed when there is risk of health and rape or incest is involved, or upon the woman’s request between 13 and 20 weeks. This limited access to second trimester terminations in public health facilities results in women who have exceeded the legal period for obtaining abortions, seeking abortions outside of designated health facilities.
United States of America (USA)
Abortion in the USA is legal via the 1973 case of Roe v. Wade. This landmark decision of the Supreme Court ruled that it is a constitutional right to choose to have an abortion.In 2014 adolescents made up 12% of abortion patients, those aged 18–19 accounted for 8%, 15–17-year-olds for 3% and those younger than 15 for 0.2%. Overturning the case would put more than a third of women of reproductive age in the US at risk of losing access to safe abortions.
Solutions
To support young women and adolescents to access safe abortions we must raise awareness of the problem so that more people can fight for the rights of women and girls. Laws should be changed to allow women to access abortion services when they need them. There is need to raise money so that they can access safe health care. Hosting talks and writing articles to educate people about the problems and struggles of women is key. Following the example of Argentina, we need to protest and work to vote and elect pro-choice men and women. This may assist to have law makers and legislators who can support reproductive issues in debates and law-making processes. Supporting local NGOs such as Katswe Sistahood can also make a huge difference and may save someone’s life and give them the health care they need.
Reflection
Initially I was strongly against abortion and did not understand why people were fighting for it to be legalized. I started learning more during my research and found out the many reasons why people have abortions. I learnt about difficult and often complicated experiences informing the decision to abort. I was astonished to find out that in Zimbabwe we have a very conservative patriarchal society that often takes a moral high ground on issues such that affect women. This makes it very difficult for women to give up a baby for adoption. The only option most women have is to terminate because society judges’ people who have pregnancies outside of wedlock. This revealed to me that most citizens in Zimbabwe do not understand how much this judgement affects women and young people. It is important to educate the community to recognize where these women are coming from and support them to talk about their trauma and reasons why they are going through this process without being shamed. This research paper has opened my eyes to different perceptions of the traumatic and terrifying experiences of women including what needs to be done to change this narrative.
References
Title: What happens- abortion
Author: NHS
Date published:24/04/2020
Title; Unwanted pregnancies
Authors; Katswe Sistahood
Date publishes: 2020
Title: Zim- unsafe abortions are a major public health concern
Author: Muchaneta Chimuka
Date published: January 20, 2021
Title: Argentina’s abortion law enters force under watchful eyes
Author: Associated Press
Date publishes January 24
Title: Safe abortion in South Africa
Authors; Mary Favier Jamie , M.S. Greenberg
Date publishes: 30 October 2018
Title; South Africa unsafe abortion, country factsheet
Author; HEARD researchers
Date published: May 2016
7 https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/abortion/roe-v-wade
Title: Roe v. wade; The constitutional right to access safe, legal abortion
Author: Planned Parenthood
Date published: January 2014
Title: Induced abortion in the United States
Author: Guttmacher Institute
Date published: September 2019
Well researched and articulated Gigi. Keep up the good work!
Well done Gracious for discussing an issue that many shy away from. You are a critical thinker.
Though I am against aborting and side with the law on who should allowed to abort and under what circumstances, I have also come to realise it is probably better for the services to be readily available for those that need them so as to avoid having complications and even deaths because of illegal aborting
GREAT job Gracious its eye opening
Great analysis Gracious! I totally agree that our patriachial society which is even reflected in our parly needs complete reform! Religion has also played a role in stereotyping women who abort and more often this has led to many backyard abortions. I sincerely hope that such research will be the beginning of a positive revolution to SRHR in Zimbabwe including choices on abortion. Great work and well done!!!
Petronella Matongo
This is an excellent write up!