Argentine abortion rate climbs

ghost

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I ran across this article and found the numbers to be somewhat of a surprise. Demographiccs of this type don't usually get my attention. However, given the cultural ramifications and the legality of abortion in Argentina I think I see a trend that speaks to some radical cultural changes.
However, I am not a native, nor am I a woman so I'll keep my opinions to myself and invite others to comment.
I will paste the article below so you don't have to chase a link.
Argentina almost doubles US abortion rate

Thursday, August 12, 2010
By Martin Barillas
A report produced by Human Rights Watch, published this week, concludes that 40% of all pregnancies in Argentina end in abortion. This would place Argentina's abortion rate at about double the global average of 20%, according to the UN.

This would almost double the rate for the US of 22%. However, Europe continues to hold the distinction of having the world’s highest abortion rate.

According to a 2003 study by the British-based The Lancet, “There were an estimated 205 million pregnancies (livebirths, spontaneous miscarriages, stillbirths, and induced abortions) worldwide in 2003, of which about 20% ended in induced abortion. In eastern Europe, almost half of all pregnancies ended in induced abortion, whereas in northern America, one in five pregnancies ended in abortion. Even in regions where small proportions of pregnancies end in induced abortion, such as middle and western Africa, about one in ten pregnancies were terminated.”
The Human Rights Watch study concludes that the abortion rate in Argentina is due to a lack of sufficient access to healthcare and contraceptives for women and girls.

The study asserts, “Until 1985 the sale and use of contraception was entirely prohibited in the country, and politicians and even medical service providers still justify actions that curtail women’s human rights by referring to a century-old maxim, ‘to populate is to govern.’”

Abortion remains illegal in Argentina, except in the case of rape. Moreover, according to Human Rights Watch, approximately 20% of maternal deaths in Argentina are related to illegally performed abortions.
 
I can't believe that gay marriage was approved yet abortion is still illegal and contraception is not easier and cheaper to obtain....

Ghost, I'd be interested to understand what you mean by this:
"However, given the cultural ramifications and the legality of abortion in Argentina I think I see a trend that speaks to some radical cultural changes."
 
That's some pretty eye opening statistics.

I don't think I am really pro-abortion or pro-life. I am some where in the middle. I think that abortion should be used as a last resort and used when it really needs to be done but woman should have the choice. I would probably blame it on the lack of knowledge/availability of contraceptives. It's scary to think that many illegal abortions happen here, that risks the life of the woman involved too. I agree with Mini seems they got the gay marriage thing right, but abortions had ought to be legalized too.
 
I don't see it being tackled any time soon, it would be far more divisive than gay marriage. Chile is worse with possibly the most draconian abortion legislation in the world and Bachelet didn't touch it to my knowledge.
 
mini said:
contraception is not easier and cheaper to obtain....

Really? I am pretty sure I have gone with my girlfriend to get the pill, when she did not have any health insurance, and it costs under 20 pesos. I would say that is easy and cheap, but I am a man so who am I to say.

I do agree that abortion should be legalized, but there has to be something about the culture of unprotected sex, the abortion rate quoted above is horrible.
 
GuilleGee said:
Really? I am pretty sure I have gone with my girlfriend to get the pill, when she did not have any health insurance, and it costs under 20 pesos. I would say that is easy and cheap, but I am a man so who am I to say.

I do agree that abortion should be legalized, but there has to be something about the culture of unprotected sex, the abortion rate quoted above is horrible.

That's not what I meant. I mean it takes up money from the household budget that is needed for other stuff so they don't take it. There are no (or not enough) clinics to get free contraceptives.

ETA:
I didn't mean contraceptives are more expensive than abortions. I meant they should be less than they are now.
 
mini said:
That's not what I meant. I mean it takes up money from the household budget that is needed for other stuff so they don't take it. There are no (or not enough) clinics to get free contraceptives.


Do you know how much an illegal abortion costs? It is much cheaper to use the pill than have an abortion but why do Argentines not do this ?

I am shocked by the figures but not suprised as selfish behaviour is the norm in our society and there is absolutely no reason that 40 percent of live births should be aborted. Citing poverty flies in the face of reason as Argentina has Latin Americas best health care and wage system for the poor . Bolivia, Peru, Colombia has abortion rates of 20 per 100 and there poverty is endemic.

The figures will show you that the richer woman are the ones who have abortions more often and this cannot be for the right reasons.
 
cabrera said:
The figures will show you that the richer woman are the ones who have abortions more often and this cannot be for the right reasons.

Wow! What a naive and ridiculous statement. I'd like to see some hard facts on that one.

If Argentina had better public health care (the public health system is a disaster, and yes, I have experienced it 'for the experience') and much much much better education and the Church would keep out of politics, I'm guessing the rate would be lower and it would be legal.

I would say, without "hard facts" that education prevents unwanted pregnancies while poverty and government entitlement programs creates the environment for more aborted pregnancies.
 
cabrera said:
Do you know how much an illegal abortion costs? It is much cheaper to use the pill than have an abortion but why do Argentines not do this ?
No, I have no idea how much they cost. But I guess there are some less expensive "really far back in the alley" options, which would be a tragedy.

I wonder if those abortions are counted in the statistics.

I am shocked by the figures but not suprised as selfish behaviour is the norm in our society and there is absolutely no reason that 40 percent of live births should be aborted. Citing poverty flies in the face of reason as Argentina has Latin Americas best health care and wage system for the poor . Bolivia, Peru, Colombia has abortion rates of 20 per 100 and there poverty is endemic.

The figures will show you that the richer woman are the ones who have abortions more often and this cannot be for the right reasons.

I'm not 'flying in the face' of anything. I was stating (quite badly actually) that this could be 1 possible reason. You'll notice I didn't write my thesis about the topic listing all possible scenarios.

What I should have said more clearly is that I believe there should be more free contraception options as well as education for women regarding health & sexuality.

Can you please provide those figures you mention? I'd be interested to read them.

PS. Live births are not aborted. Pregnancies are.
 
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