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Reproductive Health
Published in: Reproductive Health 1/2006

Open Access 01-12-2006 | Research

Knowledge of the abortion legislation among South African women: a cross-sectional study

Authors: Chelsea Morroni, Landon Myer, Kemilembe Tibazarwa

Published in: Reproductive Health | Issue 1/2006

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Abstract

Background

In order to ensure that legalized abortion in South Africa improves reproductive health, women must know that abortion is a legal option in the case of unwanted pregnancy. This study investigated knowledge of abortion legislation eight years after the introduction of legal abortion services in one province of South Africa.

Methods

In 2004/2005, we conducted a cross-sectional study among 831 sexually-active women attending 26 public health clinics in one urban and one rural health region of the Western Cape Province.

Results

Thirty-two percent of women did not know that abortion is currently legal. Among those who knew of legal abortion, few had knowledge of the time restrictions involved.

Conclusion

In South Africa there is an unmet need among women for information on abortion. Strategies should be developed to address this gap so that women are fully informed of their rights to a safe and legal termination of pregnancy.
Literature
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World Health Organization: Safe Abortion: Technical and Policy Guidance for Health Systems. 2004, World Health Organization: Geneva
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South African Parliament: Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act, Act No. 92 of 1996.
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Harrison A, Montgomery ET, Lurie M, Wilkinson D: Barriers to implementing South Africa's Termination of Pregnancy Act in rural KwaZulu/Natal. Health Policy Plan. 2000, 15 (4): 424-431. 10.1093/heapol/15.4.424.CrossRefPubMed
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Metadata
Title
Knowledge of the abortion legislation among South African women: a cross-sectional study
Authors
Chelsea Morroni
Landon Myer
Kemilembe Tibazarwa
Publication date
01-12-2006
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Reproductive Health / Issue 1/2006
Electronic ISSN: 1742-4755
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1742-4755-3-7

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