University of the Valley of Mexico

"Why should abortion be legalized?"

Subjet: English

Teacher: García Valle María Fernanda

Team:
• Anaya Garcia Sharen Cariel
• Cruz Michao Sara
• Garduño Álvarez Jennifer Alexa
• Pérez Flores Christopher Antonio
• Vázquez Hernández José Eduardo

Delivery date: 18/02/2021

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 Index

• Cover…………………………………………… 1
• Index……………………………………………. 2
• Introduction……………………………………. 3
• Developing…………………………………….... 4 - 9
- what is the abortion?....................................... 4
- Abortion methods…………………………… 4 - 5
- Consequences of abortion…………………… 5
- Grafic…………………………………………. 6-7
- Why should abortion be legalized?................. 8
• Conclusion………………………………………. 11
• Biography……………………………………….. 12

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 INTRODUCTION
In this essay we will talk about abortion, specifically the reason why it should be legal
not only in Mexico but in the world.

We will touch different points within the development that will explain the different
ways of abortion and its meaning but, we will talk more intensely about the impact to
society that causes clandestine abortion and the different barriers that the same society
has put so that women are deprived of this huge decision.

Finally, a solution to this problem and how we can increase awareness among the Mexican
population is presented.

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 DEVELOPING
First of all, we need to know the topic to be discussed, in this case, " The abortion",
so: what is the abortion?
Abortion is when it is decided to terminate the pregnancy resulting in the removal of
the fetus.

There are two ways to perform the abortion:

1) Abortion with the pill (Medical abortion).

Some women decide that this method is the most appropriate and natural
for them. Within this method there are 2 ways to do it
a. Abortion pill within the first 10 weeks.
This option results in cramps, pain and heavy bleeding.
b. Abortion pill from 10 weeks to 24 weeks.

This option is based on

the fact that with
medication the uterus
contracts and the fetus
is expelled (this option
is advisable to visit a
clinic).
Medical abortion up to 10 weeks | BPAS. (s. f.). BPAS. Recuperado 17 de febrero

de 2021, de https://www.bpas.org/abortion-care/abortion-

treatments/the-abortion-pill/abortion-pill-up-to-10-weeks/

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 2) Surgical abortion
Is a quick and simple operation, which like the previous option is divided
into 2 options
a) Vacuum aspiration up to 15 weeks
The fetus is eliminated with a small suction
b) Dilatation and evacuation between 15 and 24 weeks Forceps are
used to pass through the cervix

Natal, K. (2016, 29 noviembre). What happens during surgical abortion [Ilustración]. Wikipedia.
http://www.drbenita.co.za/index.php/surgical-abortion

But, in spite of these different options presented above, we are not here to talk about
them, but about the other side of the coin, which is that in many countries abortion is
still ilegal, therefore clandestine and dangerous for most of those who practice it
without professional help.

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 Consequences of abortion
-The main complications of an unsafe abortion are severe bleeding, infection,
peritonitis, lesions in the vagina and uterus, and even death; There can also be long-
term consequences that affect future pregnancies, including infertility.

°PHYSICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ABORTION°

-Sterility: Inability to carry a pregnancy

-Spontaneous abortions: Spontaneous pregnancy loss before the 20th week of

gestation, which can cause physical and emotional pain.

-Menstrual disorders: Painful or irregular menstrual periods may have causes that
are not due to an underlying disease.

-Hemorrhage: Release of blood from a ruptured blood vessel, either inside or outside
the body.

-Peritonitis: Inflammation of the membrane that lines the abdominal wall and covers
the abdominal organs. Peritonitis is usually infectious and can be fatal.

-Loss of other organs

-Fever / Cold sweats
-Infections
-Sometimes even death
- Birth of dead childre
--Intense pain
[Abort].(s.f.).WHO.ttps://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/u

nsafe_abortion/infographic-safe-abortion.jpg?ua=1

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 Grafic

- In 2006, an estimated number of 149,700 women were hospitalized for post-abortion

complications, that is to say, an increase of 40% compared to the figures reported for 1990.

Abortions in Mexico in 2006

40%
60%

post-abortion comparisons
No complication

Total induced abortions

100% = 874,747

14% 19%

Mexico city (165,455)

35%
32% North (278,336)

Center (304,133)

southeastern (126,823)

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Abortion rate (abortions per 1,000 women
15-44 years)

19% 26%
Mexico City (34)
North (35)
28%
Center (36)
27%
Southeastern (25)

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 Why should abortion be legalized?

1.- The criminalization of abortion does not deter women from having abortions
The criminalization only makes abortions clandestine, practiced in an unsafe way and
the mortality of poor and young women is high. The very high number of abortions
shows, by itself, the little or no dissuasive effect of the law on women. On the other
hand, penalization has never been an effective means of protecting the embryo. Their
protection can be achieved through public policies that, at the same time, are
consistent with women's rights. Countries such as Germany, France104 Portugal105
and Spain106 have policies in this line providing pre-abortion counseling services to
protect the embryo.

2.- The criminalization of abortion affects, restricts and violates fundamental human
rights of girls, adolescents and women
The lack of access to health services in conditions of equality, dignity and security for
all women in situations of unwanted pregnancy constitutes a discriminatory practice
under the terms of article 1 of the CEDAW, which violates the rights of only women.
The state's failure to provide women with the possibility of exercising their
reproductive rights has the result of nullifying the exercise, under conditions of
equality, of women's human rights to life, health, physical, mental and moral integrity
, autonomy, privacy, dignity and freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading
treatment. In the words of Special Rapporteur Anand Grover, "The promulgation or
maintenance of laws that criminalize abortion may constitute a violation of the
obligation of States to respect, protect and fulfill the right to health." L
3.- The criminalization of abortion induces women to resort to unsafe and risky
abortion methods for their life and health
As the WHO pointed out, in countries with legislation that allows abortion under a
broad-based model, the incidence and complications derived from unsafe abortion are
lower than in places where legal abortion is more restricted108. In Argentina, it is
estimated that an average of between 486,000 and 522,000 clandestine abortions are
performed per year109 (which is equivalent to more than one abortion for every two
births110) and each year more than 50,000 hospitalizations are registered in public
hospitals throughout the country due to of unsafe abortions111. For two decades
abortion occupies the third place among hospital discharges for causes related to
pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium at the national level
4.- The criminalization of abortion increases the mortality and morbidity of women
due to unsafe abortions

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Unsafe abortion constitutes a serious public health problem in Argentina that carries
serious risks to the health and lives of thousands of women. In the last thirty years,
complications derived from unsafe abortions are the leading cause of maternal
mortality and represent a third of all these deaths113. Statistics for the five-year
period 2007-2011 show that 23% of maternal deaths resulted from unsafe
abortions114. At present, abortion continues to be the main cause of maternal
mortality in more than half of the country's provinces115.
5.- The criminalization of abortion negatively impacts access to legal abortions
Although there is no conclusive evidence that determines how many of the clandestine
abortions correspond to legal abortion cases provided for in the Penal Code, there is
evidence that a large number of women who have the right to a legal and safe
abortion cannot access it116 . The causes: bad faith of health providers and officials,
ignorance of current law, lack of legal information from health professionals who fear
a criminal sanction, abuse of conscientious objection with state tolerance,
disapproving comments from hospital staff, violence institutional against women in
these situations, among others. Almost three years after the ruling "F., A.L." There
are repeated cases in which access to non-punishable abortion is hindered or
prevented by illegal interventions by judicial operators, lawyers and health care
providers117. All of these are factors that push women underground.
6.- Lack of access to safe abortions when the life or health of the woman is at risk
produces deaths from indirect causes
The latest official statistics from 2012 show that 30% of women's deaths118 were due
to indirect obstetric causes: women who died from a health problem that worsened as
a result of pregnancy, childbirth or the puerperium. The death of many of these
women was preventable if they had received comprehensive contraceptive counseling
that would allow them to prevent a pregnancy that further affected their health status
or if, once pregnant, they had beenAdvised on the risks to their health and informed
of their right to terminate the pregnancy under legal and safe conditions.

7.- The criminalization of abortion has a different impact on poor and young women.
Women of medium and high socioeconomic status have access to adequate and safe
health care and, in general, do not suffer post-abortion complications. Low-income
women, in many cases adolescents, are forced to undergo operations clandestinely and
in precarious sanitary conditions. The highest rates of mortality in women caused by
abortions are registered in the Northeast and Northwest regions of our country:
regions with high percentages of poverty119. This situation was warned in the
National Plan against Discrimination: "the high rates of death due to abortion are a
regrettable expression of discrimination against women from poorer sectors" 120.
Another study showed that the highest number of deaths is concentrated in the

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youngest121. In 2000, the country's public hospitals registered almost 80,000
hospitalizations for clandestine abortions of young women. Of the total, 15%
corresponded to adolescents and girls under 20 years of age, and 50% to women
between 20 and 29 years of age122.

8.- The criminalization of abortion exposes women to be victims of torture, cruel,

inhuman and degrading treatment and institutional violence
Women who request a non-punishable abortion are victims of faults and institutional
mistreatment: they are denied the practice leaving the woman to her fate, they try to
convince her to give up, they suffer illegal interventions from justice operators and
lawyers who try to prevent the practice. All of this constitutes cases of torture, cruel,
inhuman and degrading treatment, as established by the Human Rights Committee in
the L.M.R. against Argentina123. The CSJN in the case "F., A.L." considered that the
“bureaucratic processes delaying the legal interruption of pregnancy (...) can be
considered, in itself, an act of institutional violence in the terms of articles 3 and 6 of
Law 26,485 that establishes the Protection Regime Comprehensive to Prevent, Punish
and Eradicate Violence against Women in the areas in which they develop their
interpersonal relationships ”124
9.- The criminalization of abortion validates a millionaire and clandestine market that
profits from the autonomy of women
The parallel market mobilizes around one billion pesos a year for clandestine
abortions125. In recent years, these figures have risen exponentially126. The
criminalization of abortion validates, in an unacceptable way, a clandestine market
that handles millions of dollars and that profits from the lives, health and autonomy of
women.
10.- The criminal norm is rarely applied
The judicial and police prosecution of the crime of abortion is very low in relation to
the frequency of its practice. This conclusion stems from the enormous difference
between the figures for clandestine abortions and those of women imprisoned for this
crime127. In terms of criminal policy, the criminalization of abortion is ineffective in
protecting the protected legal asset (that is, life in pregnancy), and in the cases in
which it was applied, its selectivity could also be verified: low-income women who
attend to the health sector in search of assistance because his life is in danger.

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 Conclusion
While it is known that abortion is legal in Mexico under certain circumstances, there
is another percentage where women die or suffer consequences such as those
mentioned above due to lack of confidence and lack of support from the family,
adding that the government puts many obstacles for these young women to receive
the necessary help. With abortion legalized completely, the population could be
reduced, young people would be even more prepared to be parents, security, health,
increasing that young people in the future will have a concrete family planning. We
are in favor of this movement and we also believe that in addition to the legalization
of this practice, young people who have an "unjustified" abortion (if we can say so)
should receive counseling and support so that this does not become a routine part of
their lives.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Abortion. (2019, 11 octubre). World Health Organization.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/abortion#tab=tab_1

• What is Abortion? | BPAS. (s. f.). BPAS. Recuperado 17 de febrero de 2021, de

https://www.bpas.org/abortion-care/considering-abortion/what-is-abortion/

• Peritonitis - Síntomas y causas - Mayo Clinic. (2020, 18 junio). Mayoclinic.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/es-es/diseases-conditions/peritonitis/symptoms-

• Endometritis. (s. f.). Medlineplus. Recuperado 17 de febrero de 2021, de

https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article

• Trastorno de menstruación. (2021, 14 enero). CuidatePlus.

https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search

• ¿Qué es un aborto espontáneo? | Síntomas, causas y signos. (s. f.). Planned

Parenthood. Recuperado 17 de febrero de 2021, de

https://www.plannedparenthood.org/es/temas-de-salud/embarazo/aborto-espontaneo

• https://e-mujeres.net/aborto-la-importancia-de-su-legalizacion/

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