- While more and more Latin American countries are pronouncing themselves in favor of women’s free decision over their own bodies, the opposite is true in the United States.
- In a historic event, the SCJN authorized the decriminalization of abortion throughout Mexico, so now women can no longer be criminalized.
- Among health professionals, divided opinions persist between those who are for and against the termination of pregnancy.
The fight for decriminalization of abortion in Mexico achieved a historic breakthrough because for the first time it has been eliminated as a crime in the Federal Penal Code. In this way, now all federal health institutions such as the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), Institute of Security and Social Services for State Workers (ISSSTE) and the Ministry of Health (SSa) are obliged to provide the service. to any woman or person with the capacity to gestate who requests it.
In this sense, it is necessary to remember that in the past there were 12 entities in which it had already been decriminalized, while in the remaining 20 it was still classified as a crime.
Women in Mexico can no longer be criminalized
For its part, as a result of this decision of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) now the decriminalization of abortion applies to all of Mexico. What has changed is that now women who request this medical service cannot be criminalized regardless of their place of residence.
oh@SCJN decriminalize abortion at the federal level!
Thanks to an amparo won by GIRE, all women and people with the capacity to gestate will be able to access abortion services at IMSS, ISSSTE, PEMEX and any federal health institution 💚🌊 🔥 #GreenSeptember pic.twitter.com/QNQtXDpCQk— TURN (@TURN_mx) September 6, 2023
Similarly, in the past some hospital workers refused to provide care on the grounds that there was no federal regulation. Now that will no longer be possible because one already exists.
The decision to decriminalize abortion throughout Mexico comes at a contradictory time. On the one hand, more and more Latin American nations take a position in favor of women’s free decision about their own bodies. On the other hand, the opposite occurs in the United States because recently it increased the restrictions.
Today is a historic day for the defense of the reproductive rights of pregnant women and people. The @SCJN declared unconstitutional the legal system that penalized the #abortion in the Federal Penal Code. Here is a timeline of this achievement. 🟢🟣 pic.twitter.com/bqEsX2zzP5
– CultureUNAM (@CulturaUNAM) September 7, 2023
What is the position of doctors on abortion?
Now, one of the demands of the women who have fought for the decriminalization of abortion in Mexico it is to be able to receive a safe and quality service to put an end to clandestine clinics and unregulated spaces that put human life at risk.
With this in mind, what is required is trained medical personnel to provide care. At the same time, it is necessary to consider that each doctor and nurse has a point of view on abortion. Being for or against is not the same as having to participate in the making of one.
In this regard, last year the portal medscape published the results of the survey Points of view of doctors on current social problems: Mexico 2022. More than a thousand doctors from more than 35 specialties from all over the country participated in its realization.
One of the questions the doctors were asked was their position on abortion. What was obtained was that 35% are in favor, but only when the mother’s health is at risk or when it involves rape or incest.
slightly lower, with 31% are those who support this practice but only during the first trimester of pregnancy. While 16% are those who support abortion and believe that all women should be able to access one regardless of the reason or trimester of pregnancy.
For his part, 8% responded that abortion should not be allowed in any case. While with 5% are those who support him during the third quarter but only in certain cases. And with the same percentage are those who think that it should be legal only during the first two quarters.
In the meantime, as a health professional, what is your position on abortion?
Also read:
New WHO guidelines for medical abortion care
SSa publishes the new guidelines for performing a safe abortion: Here you can download the document
Conscientious objection causes division between doctors and lawyers: What is your position on abortion?