According to a 2017 surveybyBhekisisa
Centre for Health Journalism,lessthan five
percent of SA’s public clinicsandhospitalsoffered
abortions in that year, whilea staggering32%of
women in SA don’t know abortionis legal.Lack
of resources and the moralstigmathat plagues
abortion are just some of the reasonswhymany
women still pursue illegal andunsafemethodsof
termination, which can resultin death.‘I rememberlookingat thewhite
ceilingwhilelyingdownonthe
hospital-likebed,’Gaopalelwe
Phalaetsile,27,toldBhekisisa
in 2018. ‘My legs werewide
open. The two womenworking
on me were talking abouttheirboyfriends.Theunbearable
painpromptedmeto scream,
butmycriesfellondeafears.
Instead,myyellsweremetwith
emotionlessexpressions.’She
hassincefoundedBlackWomxn
HealingGarden,a supportgroupforpeople who are
exploringtheir options. ‘I was in
a dirtyflatwhere I was having an
abortionat an illegal provider.’
Gaopalelwe survived to tell her
story– butshe was lucky. ‘I could
havedied.It’s important thatWHY
EDUCATION
MATTERS
‘An abortion or termination
of pregnancy (TOP) refers
to any measure taken to end
a pregnancy after conception
(which refers to fertilisation and
then implantation in the uterus),
and before a foetus reaches
viability (which is when a foetus
can live outside the uterus),’
explains Dr Lindi Murray, an
obstetrician and gynaecologist
based in Cape Town.
‘Safe abortion has an
important impact on lowering
the maternal mortality
rate – and that’s a biggie,’
says Whitney Chinogwenya
of Marie Stopes, an
international, non-profit
organisation that offers
reproductive healthcare outside
of the government system.
For over 22 years, accessto
safe, free abortions has been
legal – your right as a woman
in South Africa. ‘We know
that guaranteeing women safeaccessto abortionsacross
theworldsaveslives,’says
LauraLopezGonzalezfrom
BhekisisaCentreforHealth
Journalism.‘InSA,according
to theTerminationof Pregnancy
Act,anywomancanmakethe
decisionto haveanabortionup
until 12 weeksof pregnancy,’
confirmsMurray.
Ourlawsarebrilliant:
theygiveyouautonomyover
yourbodyandprotectyour
freedomof choice.Theproblem
is in howtheselawsare
implemented.Actualaccess
to free,safeabortionsvaries
dependingonwhereyoulive,
whoyourdoctoris, andhow
openlyyouwereeducated
aboutyourreproductive
healthcareoptions.That’s
wherethealarminglydisparate
experiencesof abortionscomes
in.Noteverywomanin South
Africais receivingthesame
kindof care.REPORT54
COSMOPOLITAN.CO.ZA | SEPTEMBER 2019Whatallthewomen
we spoke to have in
common is that they
feel zero regret and
zero guilt. They also
wish that more women
knew and exercised
their right to safe
abortion services.
‘The earlier you come
to terms with your
pregnancy and make
a decision, the more
options you have,’
says Emily-Rose*, 24,
from Cape Town’s
Mitchells Plain.
‘Empower yourself by
knowing what these
options are – what
you have a right to –
and don’t be afraid
or ashamed to use
them. It’s your life,
and your body.’Y O U R B O D YY O U R L I F E ,125 000
Abortions are
estimated to
occur every day
worldwide.