South Africa – Pregnant women queue all night outside abortion clinic

“Poor treatment like this forces some of the women to go for illegal abortions”

21 October 2021
By Mkhuseli Sizani and Hoseya Jubase

Pregnant women are sleeping outside the Mthatha Gateway Clinic in the hope of getting an appointment for an abortion.

On Monday morning at about 5:30am we caught up with some of the women who had slept outside the clinic on pieces of planks and cardboard, in icy weather. Some of the women woke up and relieved themselves next to the wall in full view of everyone. Others tried to warm themselves in the sun.

Continued: https://www.groundup.org.za/article/pregnant-woman-queue-all-night-outside-abortion-clinic-and-even-then-some-are-sent-home/

21.10.2021

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Eastern Cape Health Department

Mthatha Gateway Clinic

South Africa – Call to remove stigma surrounding abortions for safe, legal procedure

By Goitsemang Tlhabye
Oct 1, 2021

Pretoria - Healthcare stakeholders have called on communities to rid themselves of the stigma that has continued to inhibit women’s access to safe and legal abortions.

Abortion consultant with Ipas South Africa, Dr Makgoale Magwentshu, also a senior capacity-building and policy adviser for sexual and reproductive health, said the stigma surrounding abortions had continued to act as a barrier to ensuring women had access to safe and legal abortions.

Continued: https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria-news/news/call-to-remove-stigma-surrounding-abortions-for-safe-legal-procedure-19e8b3e1-32f5-4495-925d-464cc3f282cb

Big Acts, little access: The disconnection between SA’s abortion policies and women’s lived realities

Boitumelo Masipa And Thembi Mahlathi
28 Sep 2021

South Africa’s Choice on Termination of Pregnancy (CTOP) Act is said to be possibly the most progressive abortion policy in the world, giving women and young girls the freedom to realise their right to reproductive health – at least that’s the aim.

In Africa, only two other countries have legalised abortion without restriction, Tunisia and Cape Verde. However, despite its liberal abortion policies, the reality in South Africa is that accessing reproductive health services, including abortion, is extremely difficult for many women and girls.

Continued: https://www.news24.com/citypress/Voices/voices-big-acts-little-access-the-disconnection-between-sas-abortion-policies-and-womens-lived-realities-20210928

28.09.2021

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South Africa – A look at new abortion guidelines

Marion Stevens And Daphney Nozizwe Conco
Sep 28, 2021

International Safe Abortion Day marks a woman’s fundamental reproductive right to access safe, legal abortion.

The Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion has its origin in Latin America and the Caribbean where women’s groups have been mobilising to demand their governments decriminalise abortion, provide access to safe and affordable abortion services, and end stigma and discrimination against women who choose to have an abortion.

Continued: https://www.news24.com/citypress/voices/voices-a-look-at-new-abortion-guidelines-20210928

South Africa – Mothers who abort never really request to bury the foetus, says abortion advocacy group

By Goitsemang Tlhabye
Apr 10, 2021

Gauteng - While the parents of babies miscarried at under 26 weeks can finally bury their foetus if they so wish, whether or not mothers who terminate pregnancy should be given the same allowance remains a heated debate.

A mother who requested to remain anonymous said she opted to have an abortion at six weeks and didn’t want to have the option of burying the foetus as a funeral would result in a lot of questions from friends and family regarding her choice to abort.

Continued: https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria-news/news/mothers-who-abort-never-really-request-to-bury-the-foetus-says-abortion-advocacy-group-27b9ff3b-53b1-4252-ae33-0187f435647c

10.04.2021

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Gaopalelwe Phalaetsile

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Health

Doctors In Nigeria, Others Exposed For Giving Dangerous, Unsafe Treatment Seeking To Reverse Abortion

Health experts say it is unlikely to reverse a medical abortion, and there are also concerns about using progesterone for this treatment.

BY SAHARA REPORTERS, NEW YORK
MAR 25, 2021

Doctors in Nigeria, South Africa and three other continents have been exposed for providing women with dangerous and unproven treatments that claim to reverse medical abortions.

According to an investigation carried out by news website, open Democracy, doctors on four continents – Africa, Latin America, North America and Europe are prescribing to women, dangerous and unproven treatments that seek to reverse abortion.

Continued: http://saharareporters.com/2021/03/25/doctors-nigeria-others-exposed-giving-dangerous-unsafe-treatment-seeking-reverse-abortion

25.03.2021

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‘Misleading and wrong’: South African experts condemn ‘abortion pill reversal’

openDemocracy has found doctors willing to prescribe this controversial ‘treatment’ on four continents, including Africa

Kerry Cullinan
25 March 2021

“If you go to a pharmacy and you can get them to call me […] I will prescribe it telephonically,” a South African doctor emailed our undercover reporter, who was posing as a young pregnant woman.

The doctor was referring to ‘abortion pill reversal’ (APR), a controversial method to ‘reverse’ a medical abortion (which consist of two pills taken a few days apart).

Continued: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/misleading-and-wrong-south-african-experts-condemn-abortion-pill-reversal/

NPO launches campaign to combat illegal abortions

Seen by the numerous adverts placed on bins, poles and walls, it seems to suggest that the number of unsafe abortion providers is ever increasing, says Mary Stopes SA

March 8, 2021
Boksburg Advertiser

Marie Stopes South Africa (MSSA) has launched their #TearThemDown campaign, a fight against all illegal abortion service providers in the country.

MSSA has
reiterated its mission to provide safe pregnancy options for women in South
Africa.

According to
Whitney Chinogwenya, marketing and brand manager at MSSA, the unsafe practice
of illegal abortion continues to be a scourge that adds to the public health
crisis.

Continued: https://boksburgadvertiser.co.za/406533/npo-launches-campaign-to-combat-illegal-abortions/

South Africa – Young women face agonising barriers to accessing abortion in rural areas

Among significant barriers to accessing abortion services, experts cite a lack of management support at health facilities, costs, fear of breach of confidentiality and stigma. Many of these barriers are compounded in rural areas.

By Tiyese Jeranji for Spotlight
14 February 2021

Onke Jezile, founder of Lethabo la Azania, a non-profit organisation that works with children and the youth in Engcobo in Eastern Cape, says pregnant women in rural areas seeking abortion services face an uphill battle.

“For us in the rural areas, we have to fight 20 or 30 times more to get services compared with our urban counterparts,” explains Jezile.

Continued: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-02-14-young-women-face-agonising-barriers-to-accessing-abortion-in-rural-areas/

South Africa – Abortion: The impact of poverty and racial oppression

STAFF REPORTER KHOMAS
Oct 23, 2020

As a preliminary remark, this article continues my reflection on the complex matter of abortion, exploring this moral mine-field with a sobre mind and reasonable approach. South Africa had a high maternal mortality rate, especially among the “African” population. Septic abortion is a major contributor to maternal death incidence rates.

Various studies have shown the incidence,
extent and terrible consequences of unsafe abortion.

Continued: https://neweralive.na/posts/opinion-abortion-the-impact-of-poverty-and-racial-oppression

23.10.2020