The National Academy of Medicine said on Monday, October 12, it was opposed to extending the legal period of access to abortion from 12 to 14 weeks, adopted Thursday in first reading by the National Assembly.
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"By extending this period to 16 weeks of amenorrhea (i.e. 14 weeks gestation), we increase the use of surgical maneuvers which can be dangerous for women and of a greater dilation of the cervix which may cause long-term complications. like a premature birth, ”said the academy in a statement.
For the public authorities' advisory body, "this lengthening will inevitably lead to a significant increase in short or long term complications" and it does not correspond to the expectations of women, who rather aspire to "faster treatment. When they wish to have an abortion.
Accelerate the management of abortions
Also, the Academy of Medicine recommends to the health authorities "to maintain the current legal deadline" while "making more accessible and in less time" the health centers which take care of abortions.
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The text adopted Thursday proposes, in addition to extending the legal deadlines, to allow midwives to perform surgical abortions up to the 10th week of pregnancy and to remove the conscience clause specific to abortion for doctors, recurring requests from feminist associations to guarantee “equal access to abortion” throughout the country.
The Academy of Medicine also "advises against" "the transfer of skills to midwives for the practice of surgical abortions whatever the term", "given their current lack of surgical qualification".
Saturday, the Order of Physicians was opposed to the removal of the conscience clause, considering that "neither the disappearance of the conscience clause, nor the extension of the legal deadlines (...) will not allow to respond to the difficulties which can, even today, arise with our fellow citizens wishing to have recourse to an abortion ”.