Dr. Limpho Maile

Where Abortion is Illegal, Women Turn to Facebook for Alternatives

March 29, 2018
By Jenna Presta in International

Women in Lesotho are finding abortion pills and their providers on Facebook. Abortion, a matter of common law rather than statutory law in Lesotho, is illegal in all cases except those that threaten the life of the mother according to the UN country report.

In addition to legal obstacles, women in Lesotho face threats of social isolation, similar to women in the United States, where abortion can also be a taboo topic. These societal implications coupled with the legal restrictions of the nation drive women to seek out an alternative path.

Continued: http://www.mediafiledc.com/abortion-illegal-women-turn-dangerous-measures/

In Lesotho, women say they're finding their abortions on Facebook

Story by Rossalyn Warren, for CNN
Mar 7, 2018

Maseru, Lesotho — Mpho opened a new chat on WhatsApp, entered an unfamiliar number, and typed a question she never thought she would have to ask.

Mpho: When can I get the pills?
I'm 7 weeks pregnant.
Doctor: Tomorrow
1000LSL including womb cleaning.
Okay.
Does it hurt?
No. 9am tomorrow, come by then.

Mpho, who asked that CNN not use her real name, didn't know who she was talking to. She found the phone number on a Facebook post while searching for "abortion pills, Lesotho" online. The person reading her messages claimed to be a doctor.
In Lesotho, a remote country home to just 2.2 million people and surrounded by South Africa, abortion is strictly illegal, apart from in life-threatening cases.

Continued: https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/07/health/lesotho-abortions-asequals-intl/index.html

Lesotho – Where Abortion is Illegal, Women Turn to Facebook for Alternatives

In Lesotho, women say they’re finding their abortions on Facebook