GAMBY MEDICAL AND BUSINESS COLLEGE

Reproductive Health: personal reflection on Abortion

USMAN MOHAMMED ID NO: 049/14 Aug 2022

My personal view regarding on liberalization of the law and guideline on abortion is

that: 1,As a physician in profession I have encountered many abortion cases and I have been
involved in management of un wanted and unplanned pregnancies in which most cases are in
these under 18years and most of them were had no knowledge in options for family planning.
Almost all cases were presumed as rape. So, my view as a physician regarding legalizing
abortion is that, it is preferable to continue as usual (making illegal) and to focus more on
addressing family planning methods ,specially teaching the community (family and children)
appropriately at schools, public gatherings about the bad side of abortion and its .Female
students in particular and all students in general below the age of 20 should be aware in the
schools.

2,As a religious person and Muslim believer, abortion is forbidden in general but it is
allowed in conditions until 40 days. Such as rape, or physical or mental inability to raise children
and only up to 120 days when a pressing need is present-such as rape or extreme fetal
deformity incompatible with life. Majority Muslim scholars agreed that fear of poverty did not
qualify as a justification for abortion. In those cases majority of scholars still required to
mutually agree. At 120 days after conception , Islamically speaking, the soul is breathed into the
fetus. Abortion in the case of fetal demise is permissible at any time, as the soul is no longer
believed to be present .At any time in pregnancy , even after 120 days ,if the mothers life is
endangered, abortion becomes permissible to save mothers life.

Based on the above explanations , that is, according to legal frame work in Ethiopia and
Islam regarding abortion it is almost similar up to 120 days. In general for me it is better not to
legalize abortion in Ethiopia until our country literacy level is as good as our society is fully
aware the consequences of abortion. As I mentioned above, most of abortion cases in our
country are Teenagers. So if it is legalized, they misinterpret and they may be involved in
unprotected sex, and unwanted and unplanned pregnancies may increase. In relation to this
sexually transmitted disease increase including HIV/AIDS .so, Almost every abortion death and
disability could be prevented through sexuality education, use of effective contraception,
provision of safe, legal induced abortion, and timely care for complications. I prefer to use the
current guideline for the time being and more focus on to teach our society in REPRODUCTVE
HEALTH.