Legalisering av aborter minskade mödradödligheten i Sydafrika. Skattning av morbiditet och mortalitet före och efter ändrad lagstiftning
Engelsk titel: Legalized abortions reduced maternal mortality in South Africa. Morbidity and mortality before and after the change of legislation
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Författare:
Bendz E
;
Aspelund Liljequist V
;
Bergström S
Email: emma.bendz.172@student.ki.se
Språk: Swe
Antal referenser: 17
Dokumenttyp:
Artikel
UI-nummer: 08101171
Sammanfattning
According to a recent WHO message, the global maternal mortality is not decreasing as much as expected. Consequently, the goal of a 75 per cent worldwide reduction by the year of 2015 of deaths associated with pregnancy or labor will not be met. About 15% of all maternal deaths are related to technically unsafe abortions, by which is meant abortions or termination of pregnancies performed by unskilled practitioners under poor sanitary conditions. Countries with strict abortion legislation have a higher ratio of abortion-related maternal mortality and morbidity than have countries with more liberal legislation. A change of legislation can result in a large reduction in mortality, which is shown in the “South Africa Example”. Our literature review suggests a significant reduction between 1994 and 1998. The major explanatory factor appears to be the new law combined with an ambitious implementation program. Additional factors of importance for the impressive reduction of maternal morbidity and mortality include an improved access to the services, and the introduction of misoprostol (Cytotec®, a prostaglandin E1 analogue used to induce abortion). If these core facts are acknowledged and brought into practice by other countries, especially on the African continent, thousands of women´s lives may be saved.