Legal Risks and Ethical Dilemmas for Clinicians in the Aftermath of Dobbs.

This Viewpoint discusses the ways in which the Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization, which triggered abortion bans or restrictions in half of states, presents serious legal risks to clinicians and major ethical dilemmas.

Aborto legal na infância retratado pela imprensa escrita brasileira: perspectivas para o cuidado / Aborto legal en la infancia retratado por la prensa escrita brasileña: perspectivas para el cuidado / Legal abortion in childhood portraited by the brazilian written press: perspectives for care

Objetivo: identificar e interpretar à luz das categorias gênero e geração as contradições contidas em reportagens da imprensa escrita brasileira sobre caso envolvendo uma menina vítima de violência sexual e consequente aborto legal. Método: estudo documental de abordagem qualitativa. Os dados foram coletados por meio de 78 reportagens publicadas em 2 jornais no período de agosto a outubro de 2020, por meio de instrumento semiestruturado. O tratamento foi realizado por análise de conteúdo temática com apoio do webQDA. Resultados: foram identificadas três categorias empíricas: Proteção da infância expressa na legislação e no discurso dos agentes públicos; Concepções sobre o aborto e a inviolabilidade da integridade da criança; Volição dos adultos versus a autonomia da criança. Considerações finais: as contradições identificadas nas reportagens da mídia escrita brasileira no caso de uma menina desvelaram que sua autonomia, assim como o direito à proteção da infância e descriminalização do aborto, não foram respeitados.

Objetivo: identificar e interpretar, a la luz de las categorías de género y generación, las contradicciones contenidas en los reportajes de la prensa brasileña sobre el caso de una niña víctima de violencia sexual y consecuente aborto legal. Método: estudio documental con enfoque cualitativo. Los datos fueron recolectados a través de 78 reportajes publicados en 2 periódicos de agosto a octubre de 2020, utilizando un instrumento semiestructurado. El tratamiento se realizó mediante análisis de contenido temático con apoyo de webQDA. Resultados: se identificaron tres categorías empíricas: Protección de la niñez expresada en la legislación y en el discurso de los agentes públicos; Concepciones sobre el aborto y la inviolabilidad de la integridad del niño; Voluntad adulta versus autonomía infantil. Consideraciones finales: los resultados revelan las contradicciones identificadas en el caso de una niña brasileña, cuya autonomía, así como el derecho a la protección de la infancia y la despenalización del aborto, no fueron respetados.

Objective: to identify and interpret, based on the gender and generation categories, the contradictions contained in Brazilian written press reports on a case involving a girl victim of sexual violence and consequent legal abortion. Method: this is a documentary study with a qualitative approach. Data were collected through 78 reports published in 2 newspapers from august to october 2020, using a semi-structured instrument. The treatment was performed by thematic content analysis with support from webQDA. Results: three empirical categories were identified: Child protection expressed in legislation and the discourse of public agents; Conceptions about abortion and the inviolability of the child's integrity; Adult volition versus child autonomy. Final considerations: the results reveal the contradictions identified in the case of a Brazilian girl, whose autonomy, as well as the right to protection of childhood and decriminalization of abortion, were not respected.

Legalidade e ética entre obstetras do serviço de aborto legal em Alagoas no atendimento às vítimas de estupro / Legality and ethics among obstetricians of the legal abortion service in Alagoas during the care for rape victims

Objetivo: Determinar o perfil ético profissional dos obstetras do serviço de aborto legal no estado de Alagoas (Brasil) e delinear um protocolo e fluxograma para auxiliar no atendimento de mulheres estupradas. Métodos: Realizamos um estudo observacional-transversal, prospectivo e descritivo, incluindo todos os 26 obstetras do serviço de aborto legal. Na fase 1, investigaram-se o conhecimento legal e a posição ética, enquanto na fase 2 foram construídos um protocolo e um fluxograma para guiar o serviço nos casos de aborto legal. Resultados: Na fase 1, identificamos que a maioria dos obstetras não conhecia os aspectos legais sobre o aborto, não se sentiam confortáveis em estar no serviço e apontaram várias limitações no funcionamento dele. Na fase 2, foram desenvolvidos um protocolo e um fluxograma aplicados aos casos em que uma mulher estuprada deseja abortar por métodos legais. Conclusão: O perfil dos obstetras do serviço de aborto legal é insuficiente para lidar com a complexidade do aborto no estado. O protocolo e o fluxograma delineados tiveram o propósito de ajudar o serviço de aborto legal do estado a lidar com esse problema público/social.(AU)

Objective: To determine the professional ethical profile of obstetricians from the legal abortion service in Alagoas state (Brazil) and to design a protocol and flowchart to help the attendance of raped woman. Methods: We performed an observational- -sectional, prospective and descriptive study including all 26 obstetricians from the legal abortion service. Phase 1 investigated the legal knowledge and ethical position, while phase 2 was the construction of a protocol and flowchart to guide the service in cases of legal abortion. Results: In the phase 1 we identified that most obstetrician did not know the legal aspects about abortion; did not few comfortable to be in the service and they pointed out several limitations of how service works. Phase 2 of the study was the development of a protocol and flowchart applied to the cases which a raped woman wants to abort by legal methods. Conclusion: The profile of obstetrician from the legal abortion service is insufficient to deal with the complexity of abort in the state. The protocol designed have the purpose to help the state legal abortion service to deal with this public/social problem.(AU)

Conscientious Objection to Legal Abortion in Minas Gerais State.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to verify the existence of conscientious objection to comprehensive health care for the victim of sexual violence, as well as to understand the service structure of institutions authorized in the health care system for victims of sexual violence in the state of Minas Gerais. METHODS: This is a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical field study aiming to collect data from institutions authorized to assist victims of sexual violence in the state. The instrument was handed in to the coordinators of these services. RESULTS: It was found that 11% have no physician in service and that 31% had no training for this type of care. It was revealed that 85% of these institutions have already encountered patients wishing to have a legal abortion, but 83% of them have not had their request granted. There was a 60% presence of conscientious objection by the entire medical team, the main reason being religious (57%). CONCLUSION: The assistance system is not prepared for comprehensive care for victims of sexual violence, especially in terms of legal abortions, with conscientious objection being the main obstacle. A functional referral and counter-referral system is needed to alleviate such a serious and evident problem. It is hoped that the research results will promote dialogues in the state that favor appropriate actions on legal abortion, and respect the medical professional, in case of conscientious objection.

OBJETIVO: O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a existência da objeção de consciência na atenção integral da saúde à vítima de violência sexual, bem como conhecer a estrutura de atendimento das instituições credenciadas na rede de atenção à vítima de violência sexual no Estado de Minas Gerais. MéTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo de campo de caráter quantitativo, transversal, descritivo e analítico, com proposta de coleta de dados das instituições credenciadas ao atendimento às vítimas de violência sexual no estado. O instrumento foi entregue às(aos) coordenadora(es) destes serviços. RESULTADOS: Verificou-se que 11% dos serviços não possuem médicos e 31% não fornecem treinamento para este tipo de atendimento. Foi revelado que 85% dessas instituições já encontraram pacientes que desejam fazer o aborto legal, mas 83% destas não tiveram seu pedido atendido. Houve 60% da presença de objeção de consciência por parte de toda a equipe médica, sendo o principal motivo religioso (57%). CONCLUSãO: O sistema de assistência no Estado não está preparado para o atendimento integral às vítimas de violência sexual, principalmente no quesito resolução do aborto legal, sendo a objeção de consciência o maior obstáculo. Se faz necessária uma rede de referência e contra referência funcionante para amenizar problema tão sério e evidente. Espera-se que o resultado da pesquisa crie espaços de diálogos dentro do estado que favoreçam ações adequadas sobre o aborto legal, e o profissional médico respeitado, se houver objeção de consciência.

Objeção de consciência na dinâmica do atendimento ao aborto legal em Minas Gerais / Conscientious objection to legal abortion in Minas Gerais state

Objetivo: O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a existência da objeção de consciência na atenção integral à saúde das vítimas de violência sexual, bem como conhecer a estrutura de atendimento das instituições credenciadas na rede de atenção à vítima de violência sexual no Estado de Minas Gerais. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo de campo de caráter quantitativo, transversal, descritivo e analítico, com proposta de coleta de dados das instituições credenciadas ao atendimento às vítimas de violência sexual no estado. O instrumento foi entregue aos(às) coordenadores(a) desses serviços. Resultados: Verificou-se que 11% dos serviços não possuem médicos e 31% não fornecem treinamento para esse tipo de atendimento. Foi revelado que 85% dessas instituições já encontraram pacientes que desejam fazer o aborto legal, mas 83% delas não tiveram seu pedido atendido. Houve 60% da presença de objeção de consciência por parte de toda a equipe médica, sendo o principal motivo religioso (57%). Conclusão: O sistema de assistência no Estado não está preparado para o atendimento integral às vítimas de violência sexual, principalmente no quesito resolução do aborto legal, sendo a objeção de consciência o maior obstáculo. Faz-se necessária uma rede de referência e contrarreferência funcionante para amenizar esse problema tão sério e evidente. Espera-se que o resultado da pesquisa crie espaços de diálogo dentro do Estado que favoreçam ações adequadas sobre o aborto legal e respeitem o profissional médico se houver objeção de consciência.(AU)

Objective: The aim of this study was to verify the existence of conscientious objection to comprehensive health care for the victim of sexual violence, as well as to understand the service structure of institutions authorized in the health care system for victims of sexual violence in the state of Minas Gerais. Methods: This is a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical field study aiming to collect data from institutions authorized to assist victims of sexual violence in the state. The instrument was handed in to the coordinators of these services. Results: It was found that 11% have no physician in service and that 31% had no training for this type of care. It was revealed that 85% of these institutions have already encountered patients wishing to have a legal abortion, but 83% of them have not had their request granted. There was a 60% presence of conscientious objection by the entire medical team, the main reason being religious (57%). Conclusion: The assistance system is not prepared for comprehensive care for victims of sexual violence, especially in terms of legal abortions, with conscientious objection being the main obstacle. A functional referral and counter-referral system is needed to alleviate such a serious and evident problem. It is hoped that the research results will promote dialogues in the state that favor appropriate actions on legal abortion, and respect the medical professional, in case of conscientious objection.(AU)

Conscientious objection to legal abortion in Minas Gerais state / Objeção de consciência na dinâmica do atendimento ao aborto legal em Minas Gerais

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to verify the existence of conscientious objection to comprehensive health care for the victim of sexual violence, as well as to understand the service structure of institutions authorized in the health care system for victims of sexual violence in the state of Minas Gerais. Methods: This is a quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical field study aiming to collect data from institutions authorized to assist victims of sexual violence in the state. The instrument was handed in to the coordinators of these services. Results: It was found that 11% have no physician in service and that 31% had no training for this type of care. It was revealed that 85% of these institutions have already encountered patients wishing to have a legal abortion, but 83% of them have not had their request granted. There was a 60% presence of conscientious objection by the entire medical team, the main reason being religious (57%). Conclusion: The assistance system is not prepared for comprehensive care for victims of sexual violence, especially in terms of legal abortions, with conscientious objection being the main obstacle. A functional referral and counter-referral system is needed to alleviate such a serious and evident problem. It is hoped that the research results will promote dialogues in the state that favor appropriate actions on legal abortion, and respect the medical professional, in case of conscientious objection.

Resumo Objetivo: O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a existência da objeção de consciência na atenção integral da saúde à vítima de violência sexual, bem como conhecer a estrutura de atendimento das instituições credenciadas na rede de atenção à vítima de violência sexual no Estado de Minas Gerais. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo de campo de caráter quantitativo, transversal, descritivo e analítico, com proposta de coleta de dados das instituições credenciadas ao atendimento às vítimas de violência sexual no estado. O instrumento foi entregue às(aos) coordenadora(es) destes serviços. Resultados: Verificou-se que 11% dos serviços não possuem médicos e 31% não fornecem treinamento para este tipo de atendimento. Foi revelado que 85% dessas instituições já encontraram pacientes que desejam fazer o aborto legal, mas 83% destas não tiveram seu pedido atendido. Houve 60% da presença de objeção de consciência por parte de toda a equipe médica, sendo o principal motivo religioso (57%). Conclusão: O sistema de assistência no Estado não está preparado para o atendimento integral às vítimas de violência sexual, principalmente no quesito resolução do aborto legal, sendo a objeção de consciência o maior obstáculo. Se faz necessária uma rede de referência e contra referência funcionante para amenizar problema tão sério e evidente. Espera-se que o resultado da pesquisa crie espaços de diálogos dentro do estado que favoreçam ações adequadas sobre o aborto legal, e o profissional médico respeitado, se houver objeção de consciência.

A Man of Vision: Daniel Callahan on the Nasty Problem and the Noxious Brew.

This essay, published shortly before the 2020 U.S. presidential election (mired in controversy over a potential judicial appointment to the Supreme Court), celebrates Daniel Callahan's prescient book Abortion: Law, Choice and Morality. Nothing could be timelier. Callahan's central question was the "moral and social" struggle requisite for coherent policies and laws regulating abortion. He rejected "one-value" positions and strove to develop an expansive middle ground. He decried emotion untutored by reason, crude polemics, and bludgeoning: his recipe for a "noxious brew." Callahan's way of thinking preceded the development of a critical health humanities, the advent of moral foundations theory in psychology, and the philosophical concept of a moral imagination. Each of these inheres in his rigorous approach to the abortion problem. His honesty and humility led to a sea change in his position on abortion. Fifty years later, much can still be learned from Callahan's arguments-about abortion and other bioethics issues-most importantly, in how we address wider social issues in these polarized times.

Majority support for access to abortion care including later abortion in South Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To measure public opinion about access to abortion in South Australia. METHODS: An online survey conducted in 2019. SPSS statistical package version 22 was used for data analysis, with data weighted by age, gender, and region. RESULTS: The majority (65%) of the 1,012 respondents supported the ready availability of abortion care and an additional 25% supported availability in certain circumstances. Most (70%) were unaware that abortion remains in criminal law and 80% supported decriminalisation. Support for safe access zones (88%) and the application of existing protections (69%) and obligations (94%) for conscientious objectors was high. A majority (63%) considered that later abortion should be available 'when the woman and her healthcare team decide it is necessary'. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the trend of increasing support for access to abortion and add two new insights. There was majority support for using existing general protections for the rights and obligations of those with a conscientious objection to abortion. Second, there was strong support for decisions about later abortion to be decided through normal clinical consultation. These results indicate general community approval of abortion being normalised as healthcare, with the safeguards and accountabilities that status entails. Implications for public health: These results invite repeal of special laws about abortion care, to enable better access.

Medical and midwifery student attitudes toward moral acceptability and legality of abortion, following decriminalization of abortion in Chile.

OBJECTIVE: Soon after Chile decriminalized abortion under three limited circumstances in 2017, we assessed medical and midwifery students' attitudes about abortion morality and legality when compared to national opinions. STUDY DESIGN: We administered an anonymous, online survey to medical and midwifery students from seven secular and religiously-affiliated universities in Santiago, Chile. We compared student responses to a nationally representative public opinion survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We examined three main outcomes related to abortion attitudes: (1) moral acceptability of abortion and legal support for abortion in (2) one or (3) all listed circumstances. We used general estimating equations to examine whether university type, field of study, and other student characteristics are associated with each outcome and compared student views toward abortion legality with those of the general public. RESULTS: Among the 369 student respondents, most agreed that abortion can be a good thing for some women in some situations (82%). When compared to the general public, a larger proportion of students supported decriminalizing abortion in at least one (83% and 97%, respectively) or all (17% and 51%, respectively) seven listed circumstances. While secular university students held significantly more favorable views about abortion morality and legality than students from religiously-affiliated universities, the majority of students from both university types supported abortion in the three cases in which it was recently decriminalized. CONCLUSIONS: Medical and midwifery students from not only secular but also religiously-affiliated universities are very supportive of the recent decriminalization of abortion, which presents training opportunities for both types of universities.

Abortion care in Ireland: Developing legal and ethical frameworks for conscientious provision.

This article celebrates the remarkable changes which have occurred in the provision of abortion care in Ireland following the vote to remove the restrictive Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of Ireland in May 2018. However, it also identifies ways in which the emerging legal, ethical and clinical landscape is still impeding the conscientious provision of abortion care. It argues that in order to address these impediments, more attention needs to be paid to the ethical context for conscientious provision. This requires political leadership as well as ongoing leadership by professional bodies to develop both the clinical and the ethical guidance for conscientious provision.

La interrupción legal del embarazo en Argentina / The legal termination of pregnancy in Argentina

En el contexto de la publicación por parte del Ministerio de Salud de la Nación de Argentina del Protocolo para la atenciónintegral de las personas con derecho a la interrupción legal del embarazo (ILE), resumido y comentado en este mismonúmero de EVIDENCIA, este comentario editorial ofrece: 1) una perspectiva amplia de lo que significa el aborto, desde lamirada estrictamente biologicista hasta definiciones basadas en el enfoque de género; 2) una descripción de los diferentesmarcos jurídicos respecto del aborto que imperan actualmente en Latinoamérica y Argentina, haciendo especial hincapiéen lo concerniente a las ILE; 3) información epidemiológica sobre la mortalidad materna en Argentina y la asociada alaborto inseguro; 4) estadísticas sobre la realización de ILE en la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.Dada la situación actual de aislamiento social preventivo obligatorio en el marco de la pandemia de Covid-19, conside-ramos quienes integramos equipos de salud debemos estar más atentos/as que nunca a las situaciones de violenciapotencial que podrían suceder en este contexto, para dar las respuestas pertinentes -entre las que se incluyen las ILE-, alas víctimas de embarazos no deseados consecutivos a situaciones de coerción. (AU)

In the context of the publication by the Argentine Ministry of Health of the Protocol for the comprehensive care of people withthe right to legal termination of pregnancy (LTP), summarized and commented on in this same issue of EVIDENCIA, thiseditorial article offers: 1) a broad perspective of what abortion means, from a strictly biological point of view to definitionsbased on the gender approach; 2) a description of the different legal frameworks regarding abortion that currently prevailin Latin America and Argentina, with special emphasis on LTP; 3) epidemiological information on maternal mortality inArgentina and that associated with unsafe abortion; 4) statistics on the realization of LTP in the Autonomous City ofBuenos Aires, Argentina.Given the current situation of mandatory preventive social isolation in the framework of the Covid-19 pandemic, we considerthat those of us who are part of health teams should be more alert than ever to situations of potential violence that couldoccur in this context, to give the relevant responses - including LTP- to victims of unwanted pregnancies following coercivesituations. (AU)

Conflicting abortion laws in India: Unintended barriers to safe abortion for adolescent girls.

This article examines the laws related to abortion in India, demonstrating how conflicting laws create unintended barriers to safe abortion for adolescent girls. It focuses specifically on the situation of adolescent girls seeking abortion, showcasing the unintended consequences that arise from the existing lack of clarity in the legal regime. The article also discusses the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Abortion in Chile: The Long Road to Legalization and its Slow Implementation.

Until as recently as September 2017, Chile was one of the few countries in the world that did not permit abortion under any circumstances. Although the Health Code had permitted therapeutic abortion (i.e., on health grounds) from 1931, this was repealed in 1989 as one of General Pinochet's last acts in office. It took more than 25 years to reverse the ban. Finally, a new act was approved allowing abortion on three grounds: when a woman's life is in danger, when there are fetal anomalies incompatible with life, and in the case of rape. Since the law allows abortion only in limited cases, most women must continue to seek illegal abortions, as previously. In this paper, we explore the historical context in which Chile's 2017 bill was finally passed. We then analyze the legislative debate leading up to the passage of the law. Lastly, we present the results of a community-based participatory research effort carried out by an alliance between feminist and human rights organizations. Chile's law was passed almost two years ago, and this research shows the persistence of various obstacles that hinder women's access to legal abortion, such as the use of conscientious objection, a lack of trained health care providers, and a lack information for women.

[Conscientious objectors in Chilean medical education]. / La objeción de conciencia en la educación médica. Una propuesta para Chile.

The Chilean Law regulating the voluntary interruption of pregnancy, contemplates the possibility that health personnel may refrain from doing the procedure if they have stated that they are conscientious objectors (CO). There are numerous articles on the subject. However, the impact on medical training centers when a student or resident abstain from performing certain clinical procedures invoking CO, has seldom been analyzed. In this article, we explore the rights and duties of the CO students to perform an abortion or other clinical procedures for either religious or cultural reasons. Based on international experience, we recommend that all health care centers should have established and publicly known policies on this matter. Finally, we honor CO invoked by students, based on three general principles. First, the autonomy and moral integrity of the students should be respected. Second, an adequate ethical sensitivity is promoted. Third, it contributes to the necessary heterogeneity and diversity of students, promoting a desirable pluralism. However, certain interests and values, such as the well-being of patients, must be considered over and above accepting the CO requests.