Thanks to classmate Rachael Capone for bringing this article to my attention, particularly as it's timely to our recent discussions about the State's regulation of women's reproduction. The connection between restricted abortion access and the maiming and/or deaths of mothers and fetuses is not a U.S.-only epidemic. I hope you'll read this troubling article in CNN.com.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Backstreet Abortions: Few Other Options in Kenya
Thanks to classmate Rachael Capone for bringing this article to my attention, particularly as it's timely to our recent discussions about the State's regulation of women's reproduction. The connection between restricted abortion access and the maiming and/or deaths of mothers and fetuses is not a U.S.-only epidemic. I hope you'll read this troubling article in CNN.com.
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Nichole Beatty
ReplyDeleteThis article was so disturbing and sad! If these church groups get the new law passed banning all types of abortion then more women will be pushed into the streets for there abortions. Going to the streets for there abortion means receiving an unsafe abortion using tools such as pens and coat hangers; which could be fatal. Kenya needs to set up a program where either young girls are taught and provided with the right kinds of birth controls so they arent getting pregnant in the first place.
Nichole, I agree, this is horribly disturbing. I can't imagine having to go to such lengths to get an abortion. Backstreet abortions are obviously very unsafe and typically result in the loss of the mother and child.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what the current availability of contraception is in Kenya. I think that maybe working to prevent pregnancy would help diminish the backlash from the church. Fewer women would be needing abortions, but there should still be a safe option for women to get one done.
Annie Blewett
This story is truly heartbreaking! It's so sad that that one little girl (and yes she may have been a teenager but she was still so young) turned to prostitution to help her family and then died by the possibility of unavailable contraception. When I watched the video, I was very upset by the Church Director's decision to say that basically abstinence is the key to avoiding unwanted pregnancy and in a way I agree. But in a society that discriminates so harshly the ideas of abortion rights i can't imagine that contraception would be so readily available. Their government needs to think of something to change their horrible statistics (like 1/3 of maternal deaths result from abortion complications) and keep their citizens safe and healthy.
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