MEDIA RELEASE
Cheryllyn Dudley MP
ACDP SAYS culture of abortion encourages young women to think of a fetus as tissue that can be discarded at anytime - making it less likely they will be conscious of the need to take care of the baby during pregnancy.
Responding to a report by Amnesty International ACDP MP Cheryllyn Dudley said: "Because of a culture of abortion - young women who are told an embryo is just a lump of tissue that can be discarded at anytime - are less likely to grasp the need to take care of themselves and the baby during pregnancy - especially the early stages."
The report found that the majority of maternal deaths in the country were avoidable, and said the main problems were late and infrequent antenatal care and the fact that nearly one third of pregnant women are living with HIV.
Delays in going to clinics until the later stages of pregnancy could have grave consequences for pregnant women and girls, especially those with HIV, the human rights group said.
South Africa's maternal mortality rate has risen dramatically since 2000 and currently stands at 269 deaths per 100 000 live births, far higher than the rate of 38 which the government committed itself to achieving by 2015.
"It is disturbing to note that women and girls in South Africa apparently told Amnesty that healthcare workers often shouted out or inappropriately shared information about their HIV and pregnancy status, which led to them being stigmatised by the local community. "This sort of unprofessional behavior is unacceptable and needs to be dealt with at the level of tertiary and on-the-job training." Dudley said
"While the ACDP agrees with suggestions that a change in mindset regarding confidentiality and privacy among healthcare workers is necessary we are concerned that once again, rather than protect women and their pre-born babies authors of the report ignore the obvious regarding what young women are taught about the baby they are carrying being nothing but tissue."
"The report appears to presume or insinuate that if women and girls had more information about sexual and reproductive health and rights they would chose contraception or abortion and avoid problems. There are however no facts to support this. Significant amounts of time and money have been spent on making information on sexual and reproductive health and rights available and while abortions have increased - unplanned pregnancies have not decreased. In the opinion of the ACDP the information should not only be more accessible but the content should be reviewed and revised to make it more suitable and relevant to the goal of mothers and babies being both healthy and alive. The ACDP would like to see more emphasis placed on making information available about the life growing within a mother and the needs of both mother and child."
"The ACDP calls on the minister of Health to investigate claims that most pregnant women and girls walk to their nearest clinic, often an hour away, because of the lack of public transport, and to ensure that where necessary clinic budgets include mobile facilities or suitable transport to allow for easier access".
"Clearly this is not just a health issue, and a co-ordinated inter-sectoral government response is needed."
