Number of illegal abortions triggers debate

Published on 27 August 2010 at 09:54

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“Polish abortions in clinics all over Europe”, headlines Gazeta Wyborcza. The liberal daily reports on a “citizens’ hearing” in parliament with heads of clinics from Austria, Germany, Netherlands and the UK. According to Polish feminist organisations, between 80-200,000 Polish women have an abortion every year, of which 10 to 15 percent take place abroad. However, only affluent women can afford an abortion in a Western clinic. Most decide to have an illegal abortion in Poland – where the procedure is allowed only in three cases: foetal damage, mother’s life at risk, or pregnancy being a result of rape – which puts their health, or even life, at risk. “This is why Western doctors are asking how the Polish government can be doing this to its women”, comments today’s editorial, adding: “This sounds like an exotic question, but unless we ask, nothing will change.”

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