Charlotte Baum

Comparative Feminisms Final

Jennifer Nelson

22 April 2019

Abortion Rights in Mexico Before 2007

Prior to 2007 in Mexico City, abortion rights were limited to women who experienced

health issues, rape, or had been involved in incest. Mexico City is one of the only places in

Mexico where abortion rights were distinguished; meaning that women from all over Mexico

had to travel to Mexico City to have their rights fulfilled. Female health opportunities were near

non-existent, not to mention reproductive health opportunities. One huge factor behind the

reasons that women could not get an abortion in Mexico was the cultural stigma. Due to this

stigma Mexican women seeking abortions faced serious psychological challenges.Before 2007,

issues related to abortion for women in Mexico were very similar to those occurring in America

preceding the Roe vs Wade case. Reproductive and abortion rights in Mexico before stood

because of the cultural impact as well as economic abilities, which resulted in challenges

physically and mentally for Hispanic women.

Since the Spanish Conquests in the early 1500s, the Catholic church hierarchy was

prominent in Mexico . The Catholic church created a society in which masculinity dominated

(what’s new?). According to The International Journal of Gynecology, a study done on the social

issues of reproductive health in Mexico involving 116 various doctors from gynecologists,

internists, neurologists and pediatricians, about 75% ranks religion as a priority in their lives

(Casanueva). The people who are supposed to help women who need or want abortions are
questionably biased. In that same study on a survey out of 187 various doctors, only 29 agreed

that voluntary abortions should be allowed (Casanueva). This survey was done in 1996, meaning

that only 23 years ago 16% of doctors who could perform abortions in Mexico agreed that

women should have that right freely. One of the most extreme oppositions to abortion in the

world is the Catholic religion. That being said, another study done with a population size of

approximately 8,000 showed that of the Catholic population, about half support the right to

abortion in all or most cases (Religion). In addition, this also means that about half of the

Catholic community supports the criminalization of abortions. These statistics support the fact

that the Catholic church restricts society’s personal judgement on a right that, if made legal in

Mexico during this time, could have helped so many women.

Imagine being a devoted religious woman in Mexico and needing an abortion. Women

had to choose between following their religion and possibly their own life. They had to choose

between raising their rapist’s child or going against their religious values. The mental toll that

these women faced pre-procedure were tough, now imagine post-procedure. These women were

being socially condemned. The post-procedure experience often varied, but depending on who

gave the abortion, was unpleasant as well. While some women got their abortions done by

physicians, others were not as fortunate. Some women were forced to turn to midwives or even

perform self-induced abortions; this is obviously a procedure that requires extensive medical

attention/aid, and these unsafe abortions not only jeopardize the overall health of the woman

involved, but could even bear fatal results. In some cases, certain women did have access to a

doctor, but were not given ample direction on post-procedure healthcare as a result of corrupted

physicians solely involved for the pay-out(Herrera). Women looking for an abortion faced
extremely challenging mental obstacles, lacking guidance or often times a financial income, as

well.

While Mexico may have had places to get an abortion, many women could not access

these places, not to mention pay for them. Women who needed abortions usually did not know

their rights and most places that offered abortions did not make it known. There were also not

very many places that offered abortions. If a woman in Mexico happened to find a place that was

close and offered abortions, she probably couldn’t pay for it. One study showed that the second

biggest reason women got abortions in Mexico before 2007, behind being too young, was

because of economic reasons (Weiss). Women in a bad economic situations faced no help.

Another study showed that only 21% of Mexican citizens agreed that women in bad economic

situations have a valid reason to have an abortion (Bernal). Women who faced economic

hardships were already struggling to get an abortion, they have next to no support from the

community. These studies were done in the late 90s and at the time seemed grim, but as the

discussion of abortion became more widely debated and more and more people became more

open to reasons for abortion.

Abortion rights in Mexico before 2007 relates to the group topic because it shows the

contrast to the effects that the legislation change did for women. It also relates to the rights

demonstrated in El Salvador. While abortion rights in El Salvador were strictly forbidden, they

might as well have had the same situation in Mexico. Accessing an abortion when a girl was

raped or her life was in danger was near impossible.

Alexandria and Roni wrote their portions of the project on Mexico as well. Roni wrote

about Mexico after 2007 and Alexandria wrote about experiences that women endured before
and after the legislative change in 2007. Hannah is focusing on the socio economic and political

pressures that are preventing women in El Salvador from having abortion rights. Fabiola is

focusing on the repercussions of banned abortions in El Salvador.

Roni discussed the rights that Mexico accomplished after the groundbreaking law change

in 2007. In Mexico City, abortion rights became legal up to the first trimester in April of 2007.

After this legislation passed, women in Mexico City were offered more opportunities in

reproductive health care as well. Before the legal change, only 68 legal abortions were carried

out in Mexico City and as of October 31, 2012 a total of 89510 safe abortions have been

performed (Dijk Marieke). Developing countries benefit from legal abortions and women’s

health care because less women are forced to look for unsafe options. Reproductive health care

was offered in Mexico City as well and countless women have benefitted from it. A study on 25

women in Mexico City described their post-procedure experience and how helpful it was to talk

to a doctor about exactly what was happening to their bodies. For women looking for unsafe

abortion options before Mexico City in 2007, getting educated was not an option. Now, women

from all over Mexico can visit Mexico City for reproductive health education as well as abortion

and contraceptive options.

Roni touched on the comparison of the Roe vs. Wade case and abortion rights in Mexico

City. After the legislation change, reproductive rights in Mexico City were similar to those after

the Roe vs. Wade case. Before the Roe vs. Wade case options for abortion in America were as

limited as I discussed earlier in pre- 2007 Mexico. Women sought abortions in places that

abortions should not be sought. Self inflicted abortions in the U.S. and Mexico were very

common. In The Law From Roe Forward, it discusses that in the “...Mid-nineteenth century early
abortion was brought within the criminal law as legislatures sought to protect women from

dangerous abortification,”(Sanger). As early as the mid-nineteenth century, women’s

reproductive rights and abortion rights were discussed but it took the U.S. until 1973 and Mexico

until 2007 to create any kind of change.

Our presentation went well. It was rough that the Mexico link didn’t get sent but I think

we did a good job making up for it. I would’ve liked to see the Mexico paper have a little more

discussion but it’s hard to have a discussion when nobody else read it. Since the Kahoot and

video were mainly about El Salvador, the discussion on Mexico might have tied together a little

bit better how the two were connected. My other group members who did Mexico left the article

to me, which I didn’t mind. I know too that the article only included a study on 25 women but,

there was a list of articles following it that had case studies on a different groups of women,

asking the same questions. Overall I think we did what needed to be done to let the class know

about the unjust and just situations in Latin America.

Women’s Rights in Mexico were changed forever after April of 2007. The women who

suffered and are still suffering through a world with no reproductive rights can use this

groundbreaking legislation to their best ability. Mexico was not always a place that offered

opportunity in the way of women. Places like El Salvador, Honduras and many other Latin

American countries should see the Roe vs. Wade case and Mexico City in 2007 as sparks. Sparks

to light the path of reproductive rights and abortion rights across Latin America. Women across

the world need to stand together and create change to stop traumatic reproductive health

experiences.
 Bibliography

Bernal, Gloria. “Effects of Globalization on the Efforts to Decriminalize Abortion in Mexico.”

Local/Global Encounters, Dec. 1999. ProQuest, doi:10.3897/bdj.4.e7720.figure2f.

Casanueva, E., et al. “Attitudes of Mexican Physicians toward Induced Abortion.” International

Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, vol. 56, no. 1, 1997, pp. 47–52.,

doi:10.1016/s0020-7292(96)02787-7.

Dijk, Marieke G. van, et al. “Women's Experiences with Legal Abortion in Mexico City: A

Qualitative Study.” Studies in Family Planning, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd (10.1111), 21

Sept. 2011,onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/

Herrera, Ana. “Clandestine Abortion in Mexico.” A Question of Mental as Well as Physical

Health, doi:10.3897/bdj.4.e7720.figure2f.

“Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics and Statistics.” Pew Research

Center's

Religion & Public Life Project, 11 May 2015,

www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/religious-tradition/catholic/views-about-ab

rtion/

Sanger, Carol. “The Law From Roe Forward.” Harvard University Press, 2017.

Weiss, Susan. “Illegal Abortions in Mexico: Client Perceptions.” Public Health Briefs, 1990.