Article 121 of the Costa Rican Penal Code

Therapeutic abortion, part II: paper vs. practice

Paula Umaña
February 22, 2018

Because of a lack of knowledge and fear of legal consequences, health care professionals in Costa Rica often bolster obstacles to pregnancy interruption in Costa Rica, even though the practice is legal when it is carried out to protect the health of the mother.

In one case studied by Semanario Universidad, a pregnant woman was hospitalized because of complications as a result of heart disease. Her life was in danger and her pregnancy had to be terminated. The patient’s discharge papers describe her treatment; however, the abortion wasn’t registered as such in the medical record. According to those records, she was treated for heart disease.

Continued: http://www.ticotimes.net/2018/02/22/therapeutic-abortion-part-ii-paper-vs-practice

Therapeutic abortion: a Costa Rican right ensnared in doubts and fears

Paula Umaña
January 25, 2018

On Nov. 29, 2017, journalism student Paula Umaña published an in-depth feature for the weekly Semanario Universidad as part of Punto y Aparte, a mentoring program for young journalists. The Tico Times is proud to translate and publish her original piece with Semanario Universidad about therapeutic abortion in Costa Rica. Part I of III.

Because of lack of knowledge and fear of legal consequences, health care professionals contribute to the obstacles to therapeutic abortion in Costa Rica.

At 24, Lucía is in her last year of medicine at one of the country’s universities. When asked about therapeutic abortion, she says she remembers seeing it mentioned in one class and says “that it’s prohibited in Costa Rica”.

Continued: http://www.ticotimes.net/2018/01/25/therapeutic-abortion-a-costa-rican-right-ensnared-in-doubts-and-fears