PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad--The Family Planning Association of Trinidad and Tobago (FPATT) wants Government to revisit its position on abortion to allow pregnant women who may be infected with the Zika virus to terminate their pregnancies if they choose to.
The call comes amid an increasing number of Zika-infected women in Brazil and other parts of the world giving birth to babies with microcephaly – a condition in which babies’ brains are under-developed.
And the FPATT said the announcement last week Friday that a 23-year-old pregnant woman is now infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus will no doubt contribute to fear in the national community and among other women who may be pregnant.
“There is no [more – Ed.] pressing time than now for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to revisit its position on abortion to ensure access to safe abortion services for women who have Zika infection and might wish to have an abortion because of fear of microcephaly,” the FPATT said in a statement Monday, noting that research has shown that unsafe abortions continue to be a major public health problem for many women in the twin-island republic.
It further suggested that the law related to termination of pregnancy is outdated. The FPATT said it was inherited from Section 58 of the 1861 UK Offences against the Person Act, but the UK and many other Commonwealth countries, including Barbados, Guyana and St. Lucia, have amended the legislation.
While health officials have advised women against getting pregnant while the Zika outbreak persists, the FPATT argued that doing so without expanding access to contraception, education and safe abortion services is not sound public health policy.
“In Trinidad and Tobago where a significant proportion of all pregnancies are unplanned; where sexual and gender-based violence is prevalent; where there are a number of myths regarding emergency contraception and where the abortion law is often misinterpreted making women doubtful about their rights, any suggestion to women to delay pregnancies will be difficult to achieve,” it said.
“It is important that we protect and preserve women’s right to decide on the timing of pregnancy, independent of the status of the Zika epidemic.”
FPATT therefore called on the Ministry of Health to engage with it, as well as other professional health associations, to ensure that prevention and preparedness planning include adequate sexual and reproductive health and rights responses.
“Very importantly, any strategy to address Zika must ensure availability of a secure supply of essential sexual and reproductive health commodities, including a range of long-acting reversible contraceptives, emergency contraceptives and male and female condoms,” it added.
“Pregnant women and those who opt to get pregnant must be provided with the necessary support and guidance in relation to reducing their risk of Zika infection, ensuring appropriate care and management during pregnancy, and caring for babies born with microcephaly.” ~ Caribbean360 ~
