Safe Abortions in an Illegal Context: Perceptions from Service Providers in Belgium

Until April 1990 abortion was illegal in Belgium all circumstances. However, a small group of health professionals had long provided high-quality abortion services in outpatient facilities and in hospitals. This study is a qualitative analysis of perceptions among providers of safe abortion in Belgi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Studies in family planning 1993-05, Vol.24 (3), p.150-162
Main Authors: Donnay, France, Bregentzer, Angelique, Leemans, Patsy, Verougstraete, Anne, Vekemans, Marcel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abortion
Abortion Applicants - psychology
Abortion services
Abortion, Criminal - legislation & jurisprudence
Abortion, Criminal - psychology
Abortion, Criminal - statistics & numerical data
Abortion, Induced - psychology
Abortion, Induced - statistics & numerical data
Adolescent
Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel
Belgium
Birth control
Contraception
Contraception Behavior
Cross-Cultural Comparison
Family planning
Family planning clinics
Female
Gestational Age
Humans
Induced abortion
Legal aspects
Male
Medical care
Medical ethics
Medical personnel
Medical sector
Medical service
Medical workers
Outpatient clinics
Patient Care Team
Perceptions
Physicians
Population
Pregnancy
Pregnancy in Adolescence
Religion and Medicine
Social aspects
Women
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Summary:Until April 1990 abortion was illegal in Belgium all circumstances. However, a small group of health professionals had long provided high-quality abortion services in outpatient facilities and in hospitals. This study is a qualitative analysis of perceptions among providers of safe abortion in Belgium before and after it was made legal there. The providers' personal, psychological, and ethical reactions to abortion are investigated, as well as their opinions on how their activities should be organized in order to minimize problems. Standardized questionnaires with closed and open questions were used; 143 questionnaires were completed. Emotional reactions were reported as being the most difficult aspect of practicing abortion. The experience of Belgian practitioners is of value for health professionals working in a legally restricted setting who are willing to assume some judicial risks to facilitate legal change while demonstrating the public health utility of low-cost, safe abortion.
ISSN:0039-3665
1728-4465
DOI:10.2307/2939230