Friend,
Despite being a common experience in many places, people who have abortions face harmful stereotypes and social stigma.
Across the globe, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) offers safe abortion care to anyone who needs it. Our teams also provide care for people affected by the complications of unsafe abortions, a primary contributor to maternal mortality.
MSF asked patients from around the world if they’d be willing to share their first-person experiences and their abortion stories. The responses are moving and affirm what we know to be true: Safe abortion care is essential health care.
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“I didn't know that I was pregnant. I came to the MSF clinic because I had a toothache and a fever. When I saw that they were giving away contraceptives, I asked for some.
They said I had to have a pregnancy test first. It looked negative, but when I went around the corner, the other line appeared. I came back crying. My doctor back in Venezuela had said it was dangerous for me to get pregnant again. I've already had four cesarean sections. I can’t get pregnant again because I could die.
The next day, MSF sent me to the hospital to receive the pills for an abortion. My whole family supported me having the abortion. I already have children. I want to see them grow big.
Now, I’ve received an implant that will prevent me from getting pregnant for five years.”
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“This was my first pregnancy. In the beginning, everything felt normal. But when I reached the fifth month, there was very little movement from the baby. I went to a doctor who works in my village, and she did an ultrasound. It showed that the baby was deformed. I went back to the gynecologist, and she told me that nothing could be done. I was told, ‘Even if the child is born, it will not live long.’
I finally went to the MSF hospital. I met a doctor there, and she took me inside. She gave me an envelope and instructed me to take the [abortion] pills every three hours when I got home.
In a few hours I started feeling pain. The MSF doctor supported me the whole time. I would call her, and she would answer [the phone], even in the middle of the night. From 4:00 a.m. to when the abortion was completed at 3:00 p.m., she was frequently checking up on me.
I felt very good when I was able to end the pregnancy safely. I thank God and I thank MSF for making this easy on me. The MSF doctor that gave me advice saved me from a lot of suffering.”
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“I made the decision not to have any more children when I had my third child six years ago. Since then, I've bought abortion pills at a pharmacy without any medical advice. I had an abortion with MSF's support this summer.
I used to cry when no one in my family would support me, but now I am self-sufficient emotionally. I no longer feel ashamed to talk about my abortions. I have developed good judgment since I got married. I can recognize who wants the best for me and who doesn't. Now I speak for myself.”
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Safe abortion care is a critical, lifesaving part of comprehensive medical care—one that reduces maternal mortality and suffering.
In 2022 alone, MSF treated nearly 25,100 people for abortion-related concerns and complications—many of which resulted from unsafe attempts to terminate pregnancy—and provided 44,900 safe abortions to patients around the world. We are committed to providing safe abortion care to anyone who needs it to ease the suffering and death caused by unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.
Read more personal accounts from people across the globe about their abortion stories and learn about MSF’s approach to reproductive health care in the more than 70 countries where we work.
Sincerely,
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières USA |
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