South Africa – Self-managed abortions set to give women more autonomy

Abortion providers say self-managed abortions can give women more autonomy over their bodies, but access to this form of abortion remains limited in South Africa. Tiyese Jeranji looks at exactly what self-managed abortion entails.

By Tiyese Jeranji for Spotlight
24 August 2020

Though abortion has been legal in South Africa since 1996, many abortions still take place outside of formal health settings.

At a conference on abortion and reproductive justice in Makhanda in 2018, the Department of Social Development said between 52% and 58% of the estimated 260,000 abortions that take place in South Africa every year are illegal. The Guttmacher Institute (a research and policy organisation), estimates that 50% of abortions in South Africa take place in settings not regulated by the health sector.

Continued: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-08-24-self-managed-abortions-set-to-give-women-more-autonomy/

South Africa: Providing safe abortion care during a national lockdown

03 July 2020
Kgaladi Mphahlele, Doctors Without Borders

In 2015, MSF surveyed 800 women between the ages of 18 and 49 in Rustenburg and found that one in four women had been raped in her lifetime, yet fewer than 5 per cent of those women reported to a health care facility. Since then, MSF has run several sexual and reproductive health programs for the community— including for survivors of sexual violence— across Bojanala district, where Rustenburg is located, in partnership with local health authorities.

In addition to community outreach and health
education in more than 20 schools in the district, MSF supports four Kgomotso
Care Centers (KCC) providing sexual violence care.

Continued: https://www.msf.org.za/stories-news/fieldworker-stories/south-africa-providing-safe-abortion-care-during-national-lockdown

South Africa – Abortion service providers face judgment from colleagues

Abortion service providers face judgment from colleagues

Health E-News
Aug 15, 2019

Lack of support for termination of pregnancy (TOP) service providers in the public health sector has led to an exodus of qualified people who can perform abortion services. Stigma and judgement from their colleagues make their working conditions so difficult that many opt to leave the service rather than continue to work in hostile environments.

According to Kgaladi Mphahlele, the Doctors Without Borders’ Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Manager in Rustenburg, North West, part of their work has been to train nurses and doctors who perform abortions, especially for women wanting them late in their pregnancy.

Continued: https://health-e.org.za/2019/08/15/abortion-service-providers-face-judgment-from-colleagues/

15.08.2019

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South Africa’s Liberal Abortion Laws Affected by Public Disapproval

South Africa’s Liberal Abortion Laws Affected by Public Disapproval

March 31, 2019

“Precious” is 26-years-old and 16 weeks pregnant. She asked VOA to call her by that name to protect her identity.

Her best friend is also pregnant by the same man – a man Precious once considered her boyfriend. This information led her to the difficult decision to seek an abortion

Continued: https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/south-africa-liberal-abortion-laws-affected-by-widespread-stigma/4849052.html

South Africa’s Liberal Abortion Laws Hampered by Widespread Stigma

South Africa’s Liberal Abortion Laws Hampered by Widespread Stigma

March 22, 2019
Anita Powell

RUSTENBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — Twenty-six-year-old Precious, as she has asked us to call her to protect her identity, is 16 weeks pregnant. And so is her best friend, also by Precious’ boyfriend. That event turned her life upside down and brought her to the difficult decision to seek an abortion.

She lives in South Africa, where abortion is legal without justification and available through a nurse through 12 weeks of pregnancy, and legal up to 20 weeks, when done by a doctor and with justification.

Continued: https://www.voanews.com/a/south-africa-s-liberal-abortion-laws-hampered-by-widespread-stigma/4841297.html

South Africa – Campaign gives women the power of choice on abortions

Campaign gives women the power of choice on abortions

News / 8 March 2019
Staff Writer

Cape Town – Marie Stopes South Africa and Blue Ribbon have embarked on a public campaign called My Body, My Choice to empower women with access to accurate information and resources for safe abortions.

This is to empower them to make an informed choice about their sexual and reproductive health.

Continued: https://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/news/campaign-gives-women-the-power-of-choice-on-abortions-19735434

Africa: Unsafe Abortion – Neglected Emergency

Africa: Unsafe Abortion - Neglected Emergency

Mar 4, 2019

Unsafe abortion still accounts for at least one in 12 maternal deaths globally. And, compared to reductions in all the other direct causes of maternal deaths since 1990 - severe bleeding, severe infection, blood pressure disorders and obstructed labour - there has been little improvement in the negative impact of unsafe abortion.

Unsafe abortion is a procedure for terminating an unwanted pregnancy either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment lacking minimal medical standards or both, as defined by the World Health Organization. Abortion, whether safe or unsafe, is a common event worldwide: approximately one in four pregnancies ended in an induced abortion during the period 2010-2014.

Continued: https://allafrica.com/stories/201903040646.html