Each year, more than 220,000 abortions are performed in France. However, there are still many received ideas on this subject. Here is an anthology dismantled by Charline, midwife.
It wouldn’t affect many women
Charlie : The figures show that one in three women will have recourse, at least once in her life, to a voluntary termination of pregnancy. So, yes, it affects a lot of people.
It would only concern very young women
Charlie : We always have this image of the young teenager, but in reality, it can affect anyone of childbearing age. You can also be a couple with children and not want another pregnancy. Today, the age group that is most affected by abortion is the 20-30 year olds. And then the second age group is 30-35. There really is no label to put, it can concern everyone and all social backgrounds.
It would only concern women who do not have contraception
Charlie : Figures show that three quarters of abortions are performed in women who were taking contraception. I know this figure can be scary, but it is important to remember that no contraception is 100% reliable. It’s not necessarily just forgotten pills. It also happens under IUD, under implant. With the drugs and with the most elaborate techniques of contraception, it still happens that there are things that we cannot explain.
It would be dangerous and complicated to achieve
Charlie : Abortion is really an act that is regulated, that is secure, and it was finally when we decriminalized abortion, so in 1975 with the Veil law, that we made abortion safe. So, obviously, in any medical procedure, as in any medicine, there is always a risk, but, clearly, abortion today, when we talk about this procedure, we are not talking about significant risks.
It would increase the risk of being sterile
Charlie : Abortion is not at all a cause of sterility. You can even have a new pregnancy the following month so, no, really, abortion does not make you sterile.
It would be simple to have an abortion in France
Charlie : Access to care is simple, but in reality, there are many disparities depending on the region and therefore even the most conscientious person possible, who really finds out about her pregnancy quite early, takes the steps, well if she has to move, maybe even put a stoppage of work to be able to obtain her voluntary termination of pregnancy, well in reality these are all steps that will lengthen the time for the abortion, and it is not a lack of seriousness of his part is not a lack of will.
It would definitely be traumatic.
Charlie : Abortion is not necessarily traumatic. For many, it is experienced as a relief. It can, indeed, also be very badly experienced. Sometimes it’s the abortion itself, really the fact of having an abortion, sometimes it’s the way it happened or the people we met. There is no determinism, we cannot necessarily know in advance and, above all, it is very individual.