ABORTION —PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE AND DILEMMAAuthor(s): Marion PowellSource: Canadian Journal of Public Health / Revue Canadienne de Sante'e Publique, Vol. 64, No.3 (May / June 1973), p. 221Published by: Canadian Public Health AssociationStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41987971 .

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EDITOR/AL

ABORTION - PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGE AND DILEMMA

Ás long as illegal abortions were the lead- ing cause of maternal deaths and a sig-

nificant factor in maternal morbidity the underlying reasons for women seeking abor- tions were overlooked by health authorities. Since the laws forbidding abortion in the western world have been gradually changed to permit them to be performed legally we can no longer ignore these reasons.

The despair of women has driven them to defy the law, override their conscience and ignore their religious beliefs. This reaction of women to unwanted pregnancy is one of the unrecognized tragedies of abortion.

The alternative to an unwanted pregnancy remains the same as in the past. The differ- ence lies in the fact that artificially induced abortions can now be performed in many hospitals using safe medical techniques. De- spite the advantages of the present situation, abortion is still an emotion-charged issue in which the rights of the mother are weighed against the rights of the fetus with ardent supporters for each. Yet the fact remains that the reaction of women following abortion is usually one of relief, not guilt.

The prevention of the unwanted pregnancy should be our prime focus. Public health agencies have been slow to accept their re- sponsibility to provide birth control and fam-

ily planning services. As long as poverty, ignorance and the unpredictability of human behaviour remain, unwanted pregnancies will continue to occur. Modern methods of con- traception will not prevent all the unwanted pregnancies.

Abortion must become part of the compre- hensive family planning and maternal and child health programs. No family planning clinic can ignore the abortion issue any longer. Women seeking abortions are entitled to the same quality of health care as in any other medical service.

Counselling of all abortion patients is an integral part of the comprehensive service. Provision of contraception information and prescription of a method following the abor- tion is a responsibility of all health profession- als.

Health personnel face a challenge which can no longer be denied or ignored. By legalizing abortion we have recognized the needs of women. In order to continue to improve maternal health which has tradition- ally been a public health commitment, we must continue to work together in order to provide quality service in the family plan- ning area.

Marion Powell

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