Abortion in S. Korea: neither illegal nor legal

Despite 2019 Constitutional Court order, revision of abortion laws remains pending in National Assembly

By Lee Jaeeun
March 7, 2024

A 33-year-old woman surnamed Kim, living in Seoul, was taken by surprise when she found out she was pregnant late last year.

With no intention of getting married or having a child on her own, she began searching for hospitals that would terminate the pregnancy for her. While searching online, Kim encountered numerous advertisements and blogs listing prices for abortions by vacuum aspiration. The prices varied according to the stage of pregnancy: 600,000 won ($450) before week 7 and 900,000 won before week 10.

Continued: https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20240307050821

Canada – N.B. medical groups call for greater abortion access following Clinic 554 closure

By Silas Brown Global News
February 5, 2024

Some medical groups are calling on the provincial government to expand access to surgical abortions following the closure of Clinic 554.

Dr. Amanda Black, the president of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, says that it’s unacceptable to leave large swaths of the province without local access to surgical abortion procedures. “It shouldn’t depend on what part of the country you live in, all individuals in Canada should have access to certain levels of reproductive care,” she said.

Continued: https://globalnews.ca/news/10273741/clinic-554-closure-medical-groups/

05.02.2024

News

Blaine Higgs

Canadian Civil Liberties Association

New Brunswick Medical Society

Shannon Hardy

Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada

Canada

Health

Human Rights

Things have to change: New Brunswick can no longer ignore its responsibility with regards to abortion access

by Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick.
February 2, 2024

Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick (RFNB) is devastated to learn of the definitive closure of Fredericton’s Clinic 554. Yesterday, outside the New Brunswick Legislature, Dr. Adrian Edgar announced that, due to the doubling of the clinic’s rent and the lack of public funding, his team would no longer be able to provide abortion services, effective immediately. In addition to an entire region being denied access to essential health care, this event highlights the current government’s misogynistic and classist legislation.

We call on all New Brunswick politicians to take responsibility for guaranteeing universal, free, safe and bilingual access to abortion care for all pregnant people! Things have to change.

Continued: https://nbmediacoop.org/2024/02/02/things-have-to-change-new-brunswick-can-no-longer-ignore-its-responsibility-with-regards-to-abortion-access-commentary/

Canada – How pro-life bias is limiting reproductive healthcare access in rural Ontario

Right-to-life groups are increasing stigma and barriers to preventing and eliminating pregnancies

By Mary Baxter
August 2, 2023

After the condom broke, Amanda’s* boyfriend hurried to the drugstore to get the morning-after pill. Anxiety eddied as Amanda waited for him to return. The teenage couple had experienced pregnancy scares before but had never resorted to emergency contraception. A baby couldn’t be in the picture yet, Amanda knew.

In 2018, Amanda was 19 years old. The teen from Chatham-Kent, a rural municipality in southwestern Ontario, had dropped out of high school in Grade 11. They struggled with mental health and lived with their parents. They were unemployed. Their boyfriend, the same age, hit them.

Continued: https://broadview.org/abortion-access-rural/

02.08.2023

Commentary

Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada

abortion stigma

access to abortion

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

anti-choice bias

anti-choice deception

anti-choice lies

anti-choice misinformation

anti-choice stigma

April Rietdyk

B.J. Kivell

British Columbia Humanist Association

Carolyn Martin

Chatham-Kent Public Health

Christine Button

emergency contraception

Frédérique Chabot

Jen Belcher

Joyce Arthur

Lambton Public Health

Ontario Medical Association

Ontario Pharmacists Association

Refuge CPC

Right to Life Kent

sexual and reproductive health services

Sheila dunn

Shore Centre

TK Pritchard

Women’s College Hospital

A year after Roe fell, where does anti-abortion rhetoric stand in Canada?

Sean Previl, Global News
June 24, 2023

Advocates for safe abortion access and reproductive health are warning that one year after the fall of Roe v. Wade, similar anti-abortion and anti-rights rhetoric is bubbling up in Canada.

And they say more needs to be done to not only educate people on the resources and services out there, but to continue efforts to protect essential health care like abortion, access to birth control and other aspects of sexual and reproductive health.

Continued: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/other/a-year-after-roe-fell-where-does-anti-abortion-rhetoric-stand-in-canada/ar-AA1cYh4l

Canada – Rising use of abortion pill shifting the landscape, expert says

Medical abortions now outnumber surgical abortions 2-1 in province

Jacques Poitras · CBC News
May 31, 2023

The increased accessibility of the so-called "abortion pill" in New Brunswick is dramatically changing the reproductive-rights landscape and shifting the terms of the debate, according to an assistant professor at the University of New Brunswick.

Medical abortions, induced by medication, now outnumber surgical abortions by more than two to one, according to new provincial data collected by Martha Paynter, a teacher and researcher in the faculty of nursing.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/abortion-pill-expert-1.6859533

31.05.2023

New Brunswick Abortion Care Network

Less than 2 in 10 Canadian women are very knowledgeable about their abortion options, according to Ipsos Survey

Canadian women have their say on abortion options, access and knowledge

POSTED ON MAY 24, 2023
Linepharma International

TORONTO, May 24, 2023 – Women’s reproductive rights, sexual health, and abortion are regular topics of discussion worldwide leading up to and since the overturn of Roe v. Wade in the United States in June 2022 ending a landmark ruling that protected the constitutional right to abortion in the US. When it comes to abortion access and freedom of choice, Canadian women are very clear that they want to make their own choice when it comes to reproductive rights.

Abortion is one of the most common healthcare needs in Canada, with an estimated one in three1 Canadian women having an abortion in their lifetime. Whether opting for a medication abortion, commonly referred to as the abortion pill (Mifegymiso) taken at home, which was approved in 2015, or a surgical abortion performed in a hospital or clinic setting, both options are safe, legal in Canada, and fully covered by provincial health care plans.

Continued: https://www.linepharma.com/less-than-2-in-10-canadian-women-are-very-knowledgeable-about-their-abortion-options-according-to-ipsos-survey/

How the latest U.S. abortion pill attacks may have ripple effects in Canada

By Saba Aziz, Global News
April 23, 2023

The escalation of attacks on access to abortion in the United States since the fall of Roe v. Wade last year should “spur” Canada to get its own house in order to provide safe and stable access, experts warn.

In a high-stakes case on Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected an attempt by a lower court to restrict access to mifepristone, one of the two drugs used in the abortion pill. While the move preserves access to the drug that is used in more than half of all abortions in the U.S., the case has put the spotlight on the next chapter of attacks on access to abortion in that country.

Continued: https://globalnews.ca/news/9641627/us-abortion-pill-mifepristone-canada-impact/

23.04.2023

News

Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights

Canadians Pharmacists Association

Nearly 40 per cent of Canadian abortions rely on pill that is at centre of U.S. legal battle

'We don’t want people believing that what they’re hearing in the United Sates is the case here,' says UBC researcher

Sharon Kirkey
Published Apr 15, 2023

Doctors in Canada fear the extraordinary legal battles over abortion pills unfolding in the U.S. could shake confidence in the safety of medical abortions here.

The country’s largest pro-life organization hopes the court rulings do just that, and lead to more “kitchen-table” conversations about a drug it considers a “human poison.”

Continued: https://nationalpost.com/news/nearly-40-per-cent-of-canadian-abortions-rely-on-pill-at-centre-of-legal-battle

Canada – Doctors brace for a nationwide shortage of abortion pills

Mifegymiso manufacturer says supply chain to blame for second shortage in 3 months

Marina von Stackelberg · CBC News
Posted: Feb 16, 2023

A nationwide shortage of the abortion pill is expected next week⁠ — just months after previous shortage of the drug forced some patients to get surgical abortions instead.

"When our hands are tied, it's really frustrating to not be able to give the standard of care," said Dr. Emily Stuart, an abortion provider on Vancouver Island.

Continued: https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/abortion-pill-shortage-1.6750183