The 12-week abortion myth blocking reproductive care across Latin America

A 17-year-old girl in Mexico sought an abortion after being sexually assaulted and forced into hiding by an organized crime group. She was the sole caregiver for her younger sister, who suffers from mental health issues. Despite Mexican law permitting abortions in cases of sexual or domestic violence since 2009, the local primary healthcare centers initially refused to provide the procedure. By the time she reached a hospital, the pregnancy had progressed to an advanced stage, and the medical team declined to perform the termination. This incident highlights a broader issue affecting reproductive rights across Latin America. According to estimates, between 85% and 90% of global abortions take place before the twelfth week of pregnancy. However, the belief that abortions after this period are either medically or ethically unacceptable is a misconception. The World Health Organization states there is no scientific justification for limiting abortions based on gestational age. Nevertheless, this notion persists in legal frameworks, medical practices, and societal attitudes, significantly restricting access to safe and legal abortions. Valeria Pedraza Benavides, a lawyer and coordinator of legal content and strategies at Ipas Latin America and the Caribbean (Ipas LAC), emphasized that abortion time limits are typically politically driven rather than grounded in the diverse needs of individuals facing unique challenges. Many women seeking abortions later in their pregnancies encounter specific obstacles, including living in remote rural areas, being migrant workers, experiencing prior denial of abortion services, or facing pressure from partners or family members to continue the pregnancy. Others deal with health complications or unforeseen circumstances, such as life-threatening conditions during pregnancy, fetal abnormalities detected in the second trimester, undiagnosed pregnancies, or instances of sexual and gender-based violence. In the case of the 17-year-old in Mexico, Ipas LAC expressed concern over the potential consequences of continuing the pregnancy. Mara Zaragoza, deputy director of capacity building at Ipas LAC, questioned what the young girl would do with a newborn while living in isolation on a mountain with limited resources for food or healthcare. Despite the organization offering medical guidance on performing a late-stage termination, the hospital adamantly rejected the proposal. Medical staff and hospital authorities acknowledged the girl's severe marginalization and exposure to multiple forms of violence but lacked the necessary knowledge, experience, and willingness to proceed with a late-term abortion. After enduring a prolonged struggle and receiving assistance from Ipas LAC and other civil organizations, the teenager eventually managed to terminate the pregnancy in Mexico City, where access to abortion care is more extensive compared to other parts of the country. Her experience underscores how legal and medical professionals in Latin America frequently overlook intricate personal circumstances when evaluating requests for abortions, with societal stigma often taking precedence over the well-being of the pregnant individual. The World Health Organization recognized abortion as an essential health service and a basic human right in 2020, recommending its complete decriminalization without time restrictions two years later. However, four years after these recommendations, the situation on the ground in Latin America and the Caribbean continues to be complex. A woman who is a legal resident in one country might face criminal charges for undergoing an abortion that would be permissible just a few miles away across a border. In countries such as El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, abortion remains illegal under all circumstances, punishable by imprisonment.