Improved information urged to reduce abortion<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Greater access to complete, accurate information
\nabout reproductive health and the right of women to make
\nappropriate decisions are important to help reduce cases of
\nabortion, a reproductive health specialist said Saturday.<\/p>\n
Lies Marcoes Natsir told participants at a seminar on Islam
\nand Abortion that women know it is wrong to seek abortions, but
\nthey do it for economic, cultural and political reasons.<\/p>\n
Women should have access to information concerning Islamic
\nviews on abortion, medical services and appropriate
\ncontraceptives, she said at the seminar held by the Paramadina
\nFoundation.<\/p>\n
Unlike the strict Catholic decree of the Vatican condemning
\nabortion, Islamic views by ulemas concerning abortion vary.<\/p>\n
The holy Koran does not explicitly forbid abortion, but does
\nforbid murder, she said.<\/p>\n
Some ulemas believe that a fetus can be aborted within 120
\ndays of conception. Ulemas of the mazhab (school of thought,
\npersuasion) of Shafiite, for instance, allow abortions within 40
\ndays of conception. But others strictly forbid abortion, equating
\nit with murder.<\/p>\n
All ulemas agree that abortions after 120 days of pregnancy is
\nforbidden, because, at that point, the fetus \"already has a
\nsoul\".<\/p>\n
The controversy and dilemma of abortion is heightened by the
\nIndonesian Ulemas Council, which believes life begins at
\nconception, and therefore abortion is wrong.<\/p>\n
Also, Article 15 Section 1 of the 1992 Health Law states that
\nabortion is not allowed under any circumstance because it is
\nagainst legal, religious, moral and appropriate behavior norms --
\nbut in an emergency situation, a medical decision can be made to
\nsave the mother or fetus if their lives are in danger.<\/p>\n
Lies said that most women who seek abortions were \"nice\",
\nmarried women with husbands and families. While abortions among
\nsingle women and women in open-ended relationships constituted
\nbetween 16 percent to 25 percent of abortions in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
She said reasons for \"nice\" women undergoing abortions
\nincluded failure of contraceptives, a rigid belief in small,
\nprosperous families, economic and health factors, as well as
\npregnancies from rape and incest.<\/p>\n
Lies said abortions should be associated with granting women
\nthe right to information and the right to make a decision.<\/p>\n
\"Middle to upper-income women can access information about
\nreproductive health more readily, but the greatest challenge lies
\namong lower-income women who need access to information and
\nsupport about reproductive health,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Low-income groups still need access to information and free
\ncontraceptives, thus reducing the need to resort to abortion, she
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Abortion methods range from the most primitive, like massage,
\neating certain root vegetables, unripened pineapple or yeast of
\nfermented cassava, drinking herbal medicines, using Bodrex and
\nalcohol, or placing a wooden stick inside the womb, to the modern
\nmethod of using a curate, she said.<\/p>\n
Lies cited from a study prepared by the director of the United
\nNations' Fund Population Activities (UNFPA) Nafis Sadik that a
\nwoman dies from reproductive health-related problems worldwide
\nevery minute.<\/p>\n
She said women experience physical and emotional trauma when
\nthey seek abortions, with resulting deaths reaching 19 percent to
\n25 percent of the maternal mortality rate of 390 per 100,000
\nbirths in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Mustafa of Paramadina Foundation said that the ratio of
\ndoctors to patients in Indonesia is 25 patients to one doctor
\namong general practitioners, while for gynecologists the ratio is
\n3,000 patients per doctor. (01)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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