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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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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Heartbeat International

‘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

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Abortion, sexuality, global health and more: A chat with South Africa’s ‘Dr T’

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 | NEWS

If you haven’t heard of Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng—known popularly as Dr T—you have somehow missed her ubiquitous presence on radio, TV, social media and numerous other platforms. She’s a medical doctor, sex expert and health activist. She’s a member of the South Africa Commission on Gender Equality and was recently appointed as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health. Dr. Mofokeng is also the author of A Guide to Sexual Health and Pleasure. She took time from her busy schedule to field some questions from Ipas.

Congratulations on your recent appointment as a UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Health—and for being the first woman from Africa named to that post. What excites you most about this new role?

Continued: https://www.ipas.org/news/abortion-sexuality-global-health-and-more-a-chat-with-south-africas-dr-t/

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/

Africa – Abortion is healthcare – and this makes it a human right

Reproductive justice is about much more than the freedom to choose to terminate a pregnancy or not – it challenges systems of oppression and discrimination and calls for a focused action plan for law reform.

By Tlaleng Mofokeng
14 August 2020

Dignity, bodily integrity, equality, safety and security, and health – including reproductive health – are human rights.

States must work to ensure that all people, regardless of gender, age, immigration or documentation status, geography or class, are able to access life-affirming and comprehensive healthcare. No circumstances or interventions should lead to discrimination, obstruction of access to abortion, or complications or death due to unsafe procedures.

Continued: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-08-14-abortion-is-healthcare-and-this-makes-it-a-human-right/

South Africa – Abortion is a regular medical procedure, so why do we need a law for it?

With abortion services becoming available through telemedicine and self-managed abortions increasingly gaining traction globally, the relevance and legality of abortion law should be questioned as women demand reproductive justice, and feminists get organising.

By Marion Stevens
14 August 2020

Abortion has always been legal in South Africa, a fact which may surprise many people. The colonial government introduced Roman-Dutch law, which allowed abortions to take place under certain conditions.

The Abortion and Sterilisation Act 2 of 1975 reserved access to abortion for white women, while increasing control over black women’s bodies – all within a population control framework. Under this act, approximately 1,000 white women accessed abortion every year, while the number of black women seeking abortions was not even recorded.

Continued: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-08-14-abortion-is-a-regular-medical-procedure-so-why-do-we-need-a-law-for-it/

14.08.2020