Abstract

LAZA VASQUEZ, Celmira  and  CASTIBLANCO MONTANEZ, Ruth Alexandra. Experiences and opinions of health care professionals on decriminalization of abortion. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2013, vol.39, suppl.1, pp. 939-949. ISSN 0864-3466.

Rule of Court C-355/2006 decriminalized abortion in Colombia under three specific circumstances: pregnancy exposes woman´s health or life to danger, detection of fetal malformations, or pregnancy results from rape or sexual intercourse without consent. Thus, voluntary stoppage of pregnancy emerged amidst great controversy and debate within the Colombian society, all of which was not ignored by healthcare professionals. Therefore, this article analyzed some of the health professionals' experiences about this phenomenon worldwide, by making a search of related scientific literature during 2005-2012. Reviewed studies were framed into sociocultural contexts strongly permeated by religious values and beliefs, within patriarchal patterns unfavorable to voluntary stoppage of pregnancy. However, there was noted how high mortality rates have contributed to promote laws favoring abortion decriminalization, with the positive attitude and support of healthcare professionals as being considered a necessary measure to reduce risks, sufferings, complications and morbimortality for female health. Therefore, it is significant to know that healthcare professionals, who are closely-related to the phenomenon of abortion, support it and considered it as a significant public health problem.

Keywords : legal abortion; voluntary stoppage of pregnancy; experiences; healthcare professionals; qualitative research.

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