In France, more than 8 in 10 women who have had an abortion say they have encountered obstacles, according to a recent study by the Ifop institute. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the promulgation of the Veil law, in January 2025, franceinfo is looking for testimonies from women affected in recent years.
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Nearly 50 years after the legalization of voluntary termination of pregnancy, having an abortion in France sometimes remains a path strewn with pitfalls. Since the promulgation of the Veil law in January 1975, access to abortion has nevertheless been facilitated in the texts on several occasions: extension of the time limits for recourse (from 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy in 2001, then up to 14 weeks in 2022); 100% covered by Health Insurance in 2012; creation of an offense of obstructing abortion in 1993, extended to access to information on abortion in 2014; elimination of the seven-day reflection period in 2016…
More than 8 in 10 women (82%) who have had an abortion nevertheless still report the existence of obstacles, particularly in terms of structures and deadlines, according to an Ifop barometer for Family Planning published at the end of September. More than half of them say they had to wait more than seven days to get an appointment, compared to the five recommended by the High Authority for Health (HAS). More than a quarter of them (28%) also say they did not feel supported and accompanied by those around them.
According to this barometer, a third of women who had an abortion before the start of their 8th week of pregnancy say they did not have a choice of method (31%). Nearly four in ten women (38%) surveyed have felt pressure, whether to have an abortion (29%) or not to have an abortion (31%). The survey further highlights the fact that one in two women did not obtain work leave during their voluntary termination of pregnancy.
Have you had an abortion or attempted to do so and encountered obstacles along the way? Whether these obstacles were minimal or significant, without major consequences or significance, you can write to us by filling out the form below. Don’t forget to leave your contact details so that you can be called back by one of our journalists. Your anonymity can be guaranteed at your request.