Policy Implications of a National Public Opinion Survey on Abortion in Mexico

• Published in: Reproductive health matters 2004-11, Vol.12 (24), p.65-74
• Main Authors: García, Sandra G, Tatum, Carrie, Becker, Davida, Swanson, Karen A, Lockwood, Karin, Ellertson, Charlotte
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abortion; abortion law and policy; Abortion, Induced - legislation & jurisprudence; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; beliefs/norms/values; Church and state; City councils; Female; Health Policy; Health surveys; Humans; Latin America; Legal abortion; Legislation; Liberalization; Male; Maternal mortality rates; Mexico; Middle Aged; Modeling; Opinion polls; Pregnancy; Public Opinion; Public opinion polls; public opinion survey; Public policy; Religion; Reproductive health; research methodology; Research methods; separation of church and state; Surveys and Questionnaires; Women's health; Womens health
• ISSN: 0968-8080; 1460-9576
• DOI: 10.1016/S0968-8080(04)24003-4

In Mexico, recent political events have drawn increased public attention to the subject of abortion. In 2000, using a national probability sample, we surveyed 3,000 Mexicans aged 15–65 about their knowledge and opinions on abortion. Forty-five per cent knew that abortion was sometimes legal in their state, and 79% felt that abortion should be legal in some circumstances. A majority of participants believed that abortion should be legal when a woman's life is at risk (82%), a woman's health is in danger (76%), pregnancy results from rape (64%) or there is a risk of fetal impairment (53%). Far fewer respondents supported legal abortion when a woman is a minor (21%), for economic reasons (17%), when a woman is single (11%) or because of contraceptive failure (11%). In spite of the influence of the Church, most Mexican Catholics believed the Church and legislators' personal religious beliefs should not factor into abortion legislation, and most supported provision of abortions in public health services in cases when abortion is legal. To improve safe, legal abortion access in Mexico, efforts should focus on increasing public knowledge of legal abortion, decreasing the Church's political influence on abortion legislation, reducing the social stigma associated with sexuality and abortion, and training health care providers to offer safe, legal abortions. Au Mexique, de récents événements ont mis l'avortement au centre de l'attention publique. En 2000, à partir d'un échantillon aléatoire national, nous avons interrogé 3000 Mexicains âgés de 15 à 65 ans à propos de leurs connaissances et leurs opinions sur l'avortement. Ils étaient 45% à savoir que l'avortement est parfois légal dans leur État et 79% pensaient qu'il devait l'être dans certaines circonstances. Une majorité de répondants estimaient que l'avortement doit être autorisé si la vie (82%) ou la santé (76%) de la femme est en danger, si la grossesse résulte d'un viol (64%) ou si le fœtus présente des anomalies physiques ou mentales (53%). Nettement moins de personnes approuvaient l'avortement légal pour une mineure (21%), pour des motifs financiers (17%), si la femme est célibataire (11%) ou en raison d'un échec de la contraception (11%). Malgré le pouvoir de l'Église, la plupart des catholiques jugeaient que l'Église et les convictions des législateurs ne devaient pas peser sur la législation, et la plupart approuvaient la pratique d'avortements par les services de santé publics dans les cas autorisés par