The Women’s Alternative and Response Union (UMAR) today defended the extension of the deadline for voluntary termination of pregnancy from ten to twelve weeks and that the three-day reflection period should be optional.
Portugal is one of three European countries where the gestational age for voluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG) is 10 weeks and six days, said specialist Ana Campos at a press conference, which was also attended by Maria José Alves and Idalina Rodrigues, doctors who were involved in the fight to decriminalize abortion.
Pointing out that the World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends 12 weeks, Ana Campos defended, at a UMAR press conference on the February 11, 2007 referendum to decriminalize abortion and the application of the law, that Portugal should “follow these decisions and change the law to 12 weeks”.
“I don’t think we should be afraid of people having abortions later, because we know, as women, that when a decision is made, it needs to be made as soon as possible,” she said.
For Ana Campos, the three-day reflection period should also no longer be compulsory.
“At the moment, the usual waiting time for an appointment is five days and there has even been a more or less complete response of five or six days at national level, but when you get to the appointment you usually have to wait three days,” he said.
According to the specialist, these three days “are absolutely unnecessary” for most women and are often a delay in relation to late gestational age situations.
“Women don’t want to wait because they’ve already decided, but there are some who do and who need to wait. So this issue of three days shouldn’t be compulsory, but it should be optional,” she said at the UMAR press conference.