Fifty years ago, the Veil lawauthorizing thevoluntary termination of pregnancy (IVG), was promulgated in France. Since then, it has been relaxed several times. But according to associations and researchers, access difficulties to abortion remain.
Veil law and abortion: what has changed
Promulgated on January 17, 1975the Veil law initially suspends the criminalization of abortion for five years. A “victoire“for”feminist forces“who have”led the fight” in favor of this right, comments to theAFP Suzy Rojtmanfrom the Abortement en Europe collective and activist since 1974. The law passed by the Minister of Health at the time, Simone Veil, allowed “for women to finally be able to have an abortion“securely, which was”decisive in moving towards their emancipation“.
Pour Stephanie Hennette-Vauchezprofessor of law at Paris Nanterre University, this text represents “a momentous historic break in a deeply rooted repressive regime“in the society of the time, where convictions for practice or recourse to abortion were common.
However, the text then perpetuated in 1979 stay “very careful“: abortion could only be performed within a period of ten weeks pregnantby an authorized doctor. “He organizes a medicalization of the proceduremuch more than it enshrines a women’s right“, for Stéphanie Hennette-Vauchez.
IVG: what does the law say today in France?
Since then, the rules governing abortion have been relaxed several times. Among the key measures, the legal deadline was increased to 12 then to 14 weeks pregnant. Abortion is today fully supported by health insurance. There reflection period was deleted. Just like theparental authorization for minors, who must however be accompanied by an adult.
The law also extended the pick-up locations and authorized midwives to perform abortions. Despite these advances, “the right to abortion remains fragile“, estimates from theAFP Sarah Durocherpresident of Family Planning. “He is the target of regular attacks by very organized conservative opponents.“.
Despite the inclusion last year in the French Constitution of the “freedom guaranteed to women” to resort to abortion, the association fears that the conditions of access could regress. For the moment, it is requesting a extension of the legal deadline and the removal of the conscience clause specific allowing doctors to refuse to perform this procedure.
243,623 abortions registered in France in 2023
The number of abortions has long hovered around 220,000 per year in France. In 2023however, 243,623 abortions were recorded, or 8,600 more than the previous year, according to a recent study by the Statistical Directorate of Social Ministries (Drees). Women from 25 to 29 years old most resort to abortion.
-The medicinal method has become the majority (80% of interventions) in the face of surgical methodunderlines a study by the National Institute of Demographic Studies (INED), which also points to the increase in care outside health establishments.
A “unequal supply across the territory“and women who”adapt“
Despite the diversity of authorized support methods, “hindrances“at abortion”persistent“, described inAFP Justine Chaputdoctoral student at INED and Paris 1 University.There are significant statistical variations depending on the departments.“between different types of abortions, which suggests that”l’offer East uneven on the territory and the women adapt“.
Women sometimes have difficulty finding out about abortion, which can lead to support delaysdeplore feminist associations and health professionals, who denounce the existence of disinformation sites.
Allow women to “save time” and their “save stress”
Isabelle Derrendingerpresident of the Council of the Order of Midwives, suggests creating a directory of professionals who practice abortion: this inexpensive measure”would save women time and stress“.
It may also be difficult toget an appointment quickly. To improve the situation, “we must give the hospital more budget that can be used exclusively for family planning activities“, estimates from theAFP the Dr. Joëlle Belaisch-Allartpresident of the National College of French gynecologists and obstetricians.
In the current context of hospital crisis, she evokes the need to “sanctify the means“dedicated to abortion because orthogenics – the service responsible for abortion – is”too often considered as the poor relation of hospital services, the one where we can take staff if there is a shortage“.
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