What is the territorial coverage in the care of abortions (voluntary terminations of pregnancy) in Brest and in the territory of Nord-Finistère?
“Five health establishments can receive patients: the hospitals of Carhaix, Landerneau and Morlaix, and, in Brest, and the Keraudren clinic. But, in addition to these health establishments, we need liberals: to be able to provide closer access to care for people. With the CHU, we can therefore rely on ten active agreements with independent professionals: eight midwives and two doctors. In addition, four midwives can also perform ultrasounds, which strengthens the network of private practitioners.”
At the regional level, how are health professionals organized?
“We have the same protocols and the same practices because we are all part of the Brittany perinatal network. It is a regional structure financed by the ARS (Regional Health Agency) which serves to coordinate and support action. All caregivers in sexual health centers are part of the Armoric group (original multicenter regional approach to IVG and contraception). In mid-March, I participated in the training of around fifteen Breton participants and we have working groups very regularly.”
How many abortions have been carried out in Brest?
“The figures are generally stable. In 2023, we received 582 people for an abortion request. In the end, 501 abortions were carried out because some changed their minds, others had a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy. Sometimes, we receive the first request and the abortion is performed elsewhere. In Brest, we have a particularity compared to the national figures: between surgical and medical abortions, we have a ratio of around 50-50 whereas it is rather a third surgical and two-thirds medical on the scale. hexagonal. This is explained by the passage of the law for the extension of the abortion period at the beginning of 2022. For almost 18 months, we were the only establishment in Finistère to perform surgical abortions on these advanced abortions, which makes that we drained a lot of patients from Finistère and explains this distribution.”
Our file on sexual health in Brest
What about delivery times?
“We know that there are areas in France where there are few centers, few caregivers and where patients have to travel a lot of kilometers. In Finistère, we are quite satisfied with the support offered. We have no delays in treatment: any patient who calls within the legal deadlines will be able to have her abortion on time. Either in a healthcare facility or privately depending on the date of pregnancy and your wishes. We are completely within the recommendations for treatment times.”
Practical
Brest sexual health center at Morvan hospital, on the ground floor of building 5 in the Women-Mother-Child Center. Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; such. 02 98 22 34 39; in addition to government sites, Florence Hémon recommends the sites: ivglesadresses.org and ivglesinfos.org
