Abortion is a common medical procedure that many people experience– people of all ages, ethnicities, nationalities and religions decide to end their pregnancies for various reasons. Yet in many places around the world, people who have abortions face harmful stereotypes, blame and social stigma. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) provides safe abortion care and treats people for the consequences of unsafe abortion, a leading cause of maternal mortality. In 2023, MSF teams provided over 54,600 safe abortions across 37 countries, to people who requested it.
When we talk to people who decide to have an abortion, we often hear their personal stories. To help break the abortion stigma, we are sharing the stories of three women from Colombia, Greece and India. They have different experiences and reasons for choosing abortion – but each of them was able to receive free, quality treatment from MSF.
LUCIANA*, COLOMBIA: “MY WHOLE FAMILY SUPPORTED ME”
[In Venezuela], if we had breakfast, we’d have nothing for lunch. If we had lunch, there would be no dinner. Sometimes we’d eat something at noon and leave a little for later. We came [to Colombia] skinny. I had to send [some of my children] back to Maracaibo [in Venezuela] with my mother because they could not study here. I stayed here with my daughter and we are struggling. There is no work here; I have nothing stable.
I didn’t know I was pregnant. I came to the MSF clinic because I had a toothache and a fever. When I saw they were giving away contraceptives, I asked for some. They said I had to have a pregnancy test first. It looked negative, but when I went around the corner, the other line appeared. I came back crying. They connected me with an MSF psychologist.
My doctor back in Venezuela had said it was dangerous for me to get pregnant again. I’ve already had four caesarean sections. If I’d had to, I would have looked anywhere for something that could end the pregnancy. There are many options – there are plants, there are things you can drink. I can’t get pregnant again because I could die.
The next day, MSF sent me to the hospital to receive the pills for an abortion. My whole family supported me. I already have children. I want to see them grow big. Now, I’ve received an implant that will prevent me from getting pregnant for five years. Thank God MSF gave me this implant [for free] – in Maracaibo, it would be expensive.
MASIKA*, GREECE: “I MADE THE BEST DECISION I COULD”
I wasn’t feeling well, I was very tired. I took a pregnancy test at home and it was positive. I came to a clinic and they gave me the medication for the abortion. I didn’t have any complications. I felt fine.
I have been living in Greece as a refugee for two years. I am from Democratic Republic of Congo. I have one child and it is difficult to support him. I am by myself. I made the best decision I could because I cannot raise a child well if I cannot find food for him – he would suffer in this world. I think abortion is a normal subject, it’s not something we should hide.
NANDITA*, INDIA: “I NO LONGER FEEL ASHAMED”
I was married off at the age of 15 or 16. My husband is abusive. He doesn’t practice safe sex. Instead, he tells me men were born to marry women and have fun with them. He says, “I am a man and this is what I will do.”
I made the decision not to have any more children when I had my third child six years ago. Since then, I’ve bought abortion pills at a pharmacy without any medical advice. I had an abortion with MSF’s support this summer.
I used to cry when no one in my family would support me but now I am self-sufficient emotionally. I no longer feel ashamed to talk about my abortions. I have developed good judgement since I got married. I can recognize who wants the best for me and who doesn’t. Now I speak for myself.
*Names changed to protect identity.
WHY SAFE ABORTION IS HEALTHCARE
Abortion is a common health procedure, with over 73 million induced abortions occurring around the world each year. Despite this, 45 per cent of abortions are unsafe – the vast majority of these being in lower- and middle-income countries.
According to the World Health Organization, an abortion is unsafe if the person providing the abortion does not have the necessary skills or if the abortion takes place in an environment that does not meet medical standards. Though safe abortion care is not resource-intensive to provide, complications from unsafely induced abortions require critical emergency care.
At Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) we regularly see patients experiencing severe and life-threatening conditions and injuries due to unsafe abortion. This includes severe hemorrhage, sepsis (severe general infection), poisoning, uterine perforation or damage to other internal organs. Some patients die before arriving at the hospital; others need major surgery to survive and some are left permanently disabled.
In addition to providing safe abortion and post-abortion care, MSF provides contraceptive counselling and access to a range of contraceptive methods. We recognize it is not the role of health providers to scrutinize the reasons why someone might seek an abortion. We respect our patients’ decisions and provide them with accurate and comprehensive information so they can make informed decisions about their own bodies. Regardless of what these decisions are, it is our responsibility to provide them with safe and high-quality care.
