Johannesburg: Difference between revisions

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Abortion is fully legal for up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. After 12 weeks, you can still obtain an abortion but only for certain reasons. In all cases, you must get approval from two physicians before getting an abortion and they can't be the physician performing the abortion. Legally, physicians are allowed to turn down your request. However, you will find that there are many abortion facilities in Johannesburg and, if they are public, abortion is typically free of charge for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. If you are interested in private facilities, Marie Stopes' facilities are especially recommended, which can be found throughout South Africa.  

==Contraception==

In South Africa, you need a prescription to obtain birth control.<ref>[Global Oral Contraception Availability http://ocsotc.org/wp-content/uploads/worldmap/worldmap.html]</ref> It is estimated that 60-65% of married or in-union women are using some form of contraception,<ref>[http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/family/trendsContraceptiveUse2015Report.pdf Trends in Contraceptive Use Worldwide 2015]</ref> and about 18% of South African women use oral contraceptives.<ref>[http://www.frontshop.co.za/oral-contraceptives/ Oral contraceptives]</ref>

According to a 2013 report from the South African government, "Although almost all women in South Africa know about contraception, most have a limited knowledge of the range of contraceptive methods available. This hampers their ability to make informed choices about methods most suitable for them, as individuals. It may also impact negatively on their uptake of a particular contraceptive method."<ref>[https://www.health-e.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/ContraceptionPolicyServiceDelGuidelines2013.pdf]</ref>  

==Emergency Contraception==

Take 1 pill within 120 hours after unprotected sex:''

''Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:''

Take 50 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex:

Take 2 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 2 more pills 12 hours later:''

''Take 4 pills within 120 hours after unprotected sex and take 4 more pills 12 hours later:''

The price of LNG EC ranges from $5.30 - $5.97, as of 2013.<ref>[http://www.cecinfo.org/country-by-country-information/status-availability-database/countries/south-africa/ EC Status and Availability: South Africa]</ref>

'''Important Note:''' There are two main types of abortions: medical (also known as the "abortion pill") and surgical (also known as "in-clinic"). For medical abortions, you take a pill to induce abortion. For surgical abortions, a procedure is performed to induce abortion. For general information about medical and surgical abortions, click [https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/abortion here].

In South Africa, abortion is fully legal with no age restrictions during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. For the first twelve weeks, all primary reasons for an abortion are permitted, including to save the life of the woman, to preserve physical health, to preserve mental health, rape or incest, fetal impairment, economic or social reasons or available on request. From the thirteenth to twentieth week of pregnancy, an abortion may be performed under the following circumstances: to save the life of the woman, to preserve physical health, to preserve mental health, rape or incest, fetal impairment and economic or social reasons. After the twentieth week of pregnancy, an abortion may be performed "if two medical practitioners or one medical practitioner and a midwife are of the opinion that the continued pregnancy would endanger the woman’s life, would result in severe malformation of the foetus or would pose a risk of injury to the foetus."<ref>[http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm UN Report: Abortion Law in South Africa]</ref>

To obtain an abortion, the South African government recommends that women seek counseling, but it's not required. If a woman is under 18 years old, she will be advised to consult her parents but she's not legally required to do so. If a woman is married or in a life-partner relationship, she will also be advised to consult her partner, but she's not required to do so. However, if a woman is intellectually-disabled or has been unconscious for a long time, the physicians will need approval from guardians, parents, life partners or spouses.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_South_Africa Abortion in South Africa]</ref>

You should be aware that South African health workers are not legally required to assist abortions. If they have any personal, professional or moral objections, they can decide to take no part in an abortion. However, they are required by law to assist in abortions that are performed to save the life of a woman. Furthermore, if you approach a health care worker in order to obtain an abortion, they may decline to offer you services but they are legally required to inform you of your rights and refer you to health care workers/facilities where you can obtain an abortion.<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_South_Africa Abortion in South Africa]</ref>

When a legal abortion is performed, it cannot be performed by any of the consulting physicians. During the first twelve weeks of pregnancy, a physician or midwife may perform the abortion. After twelve weeks of pregnancy, only a medical practitioner can perform the abortion. The abortion must be performed at a government hospital (or another approved institution) by a physician. The hospital superintendent must approve the abortion.  

Historically, abortion law in South Africa was under Roman-Dutch Common Law until 1975, which only permitted abortion if the life of the woman was endangered by pregnancy. Then, in 1975, The Abortion and Sterilization Act of 1975 was passed, which expanded abortion availability to include women whose mental/physical health was endangered by the pregnancy, women who were victims of rape or incest or were intellectually-disabled (or, as the law called it "idiot or imbecile"), or if the fetus was at risk of being born with a mental/physical defect. The Act required that three physicians approve of the abortion. Since the Act was still fairly restrictive, most women at the time did not seek legal abortions and the majority of abortions (200,000 per year) were performed illegally.  

As written in a UN Report, "This legal situation was dramatically altered in 1994 after the transition from the apartheid regime to full democracy and the victory of the African National Congress (ANC) in the first fully democratic elections in South Africa. The ANC had campaigned on a platform of liberalized abortion and, once it came to power, it proceeded to fulfill its campaign pledge on this issue. After receiving the report of the Ad Hoc Select Committee on Abortion and Sterilisation, appointed to review this matter, the Government introduced draft legislation in Parliament to allow abortions to be performed on request during the first fourteen weeks of pregnancy. The proposed legislation provoked a heated debate between pro-choice and pro-life groups, and the latter held numerous rallies to protest suggested changes. Despite polls indicating that the great majority of the population did not support the legislation and considerable opposition among legislators both within and without the ruling ANC party, the legislation (the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act) was enacted in 1996, with almost one quarter of the legislators absent."<ref>[http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm UN Report: Abortion Law in South Africa]</ref>

The report later states: "The 1996 abortion law is now the most liberal in Africa and, indeed, the world, authorizing the performance of abortions not only during the first trimester of pregnancy on request, but also through the twentieth week of pregnancy on very broad grounds, including socio-economic grounds. Although the preamble to the law stresses that abortion is not considered a form of contraception or population control, it also makes clear that the law is firmly based on a notion of individual human rights."<ref>[http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/profiles.htm UN Report: Abortion Law in South Africa]</ref>

If you would like to get Misoprostol (the abortion pill), it's available under the brand names Cytotec and Arthrotec in South Africa.<ref>[https://www.womenonwaves.org/en/page/2788/south-africa Women on Waves: South Africa]</ref>

You can get an abortion at a government hospital (which will be free in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy). You can also choose to go to a private facility. Here's a list of some private facilities:

* [http://www.mariestopes.org.za/safe-abortion/ Marie Stopes South Africa]: "We offer safe abortion (also called Termination of Pregnancy or TOP) for women who are up to 20 weeks pregnant. Depending on the gestation (stage of the pregnancy), we have two services available: the Marie Stopes Medical Process (often called the abortion pill) and the Marie Stopes Procedure (a minor, same day treatment). Our nurses and doctors are accredited professionals and experts in reproductive healthcare. Our work is strictly governed the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act (amended 2008) and we adhere to World Health Organisation Guidelines and protocols set out by Marie Stopes International."

* [http://www.abortionclinicjhb.co.za/ Abortion Clinic Johannesburg]: "Abortion Clinic Johannesburg is a legal Women’s Clinic in South-Africa offering same day legal termination of pregnancy at affordale rates. Termination of pregnancy is when a pregnancy is terminated before it results into the birth of a child. With several years of experience in termination of pregnancy, our abortion doctors make sure that all abortion procedures are performed with great care. Our Abortion prices are affordable and start from R499."

* [http://drevewomenabortionclinic.co.za/ Dr. Eve Women Abortion Clinic]: "This clinic is South Africa's top Abortion clinic facility, with state of the art facilities complimented by registered and experienced Medical professionals. We have made it possible for 100's of women who have had an unwanted pregnancies to have a Safe and Private Abortion."

"Abortions are free at government hospitals and clinics during the first three months of pregnancy. The Marie Stopes Clinics also do abortions. These nine clinics are situated in the areas surrounding Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Their abortions are subsidised and much cheaper. Whereas private clinic abortions can cost between R470 and R1 460. The cost of the abortion depends on how far the pregnancy has progressed and also on where the clinic is situated."<ref>[http://askmama.mobi/content/mama-a-to-z/back-to-basics-abortion-facts/ Back to Basics: Abortion Facts]</ref>

* [http://lifeline.org.za Lifeline Southern Africa]: Provides 24 hour suicide/crisis hotline: 0861 322 322. Address: 10th Floor, North City House, Cnr Melle & Jorrisen Street, Fraamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001  

* [https://www.facebook.com/shelter4girls/ The House Group]: "Shelter for Abused, Abandoned & Destitute girls under 19 years of age, who are using/exposed to addictive substances or runaways." Address: 60 & 62 Olivia Road, Berea. Phone: 0110279190 or 0828102726

* [http://www.usindisoministries.co.za Usindiso Ministries - A Kingdom Ministry]: "Usindiso Ministries provides temporary accommodation for abused women and their children on our First Floor. The Second Floor is set aside for ladies who are training on the Skills to Furnish Programme. Each floor is registered to accommodate 60 persons, which gives the shelter a capacity for 120 persons including their children. Usindiso Ministries provides basic needs for each woman and child, which includes accommodation, food, toiletries, nappies and clothing, when they are available. These women are referred to us by the police, nearby hospitals, other institutions or they hear about us by word of mouth and arrive on their own." Phone: +27 11 334 1143. Email: contact@usindisoministries.co.za

===Costs===

==List of Additional Resources==

* [http://ncwsa.org.za/ National Council of Women of South Africa]: "NCWSA aims to bring together women of all ages and all walks of life in South Africa, to learn more about local, national and international affairs that affect us all." P.O. Box 1242, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa, Tel: 011-834-1366. Email: info@ncswa.org.

* [http://www.womensnet.org.za/health/whppam.htm Women's Health Project]: "At present, the project's aims are to develop and promote research assessing the implementation of integrated women's health services, to help policy makers reach a consensus on the integration of women's health services and primary health care, to expose nurses to gender sensitive approaches to women's health, to promote the existence of a vibrant women's health movement, and to facilitate agreement between NGOs and government agencies on a common list of development indicators to guide program development." Address: Third Floor, Spencer Lister Building, P.O. Box 1038, South African Institute for Medical Research, University of the Witwatersrand , Box 1038, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa, tel: +27 11 489 9925/17/05, fax: +27 11 489 9922, E-mail: womenhp@sn.apc.org or womenhp@wn.acp.org

* [http://www.iranti-org.co.za/ Iranti]: "Iranti-org is a queer human rights visual media organization based in Johannesburg, South Africa. Iranti-org works within a human rights framework as its foundational platform for raising issues on Gender, Identities and Sexuality." Director: Jabu Pereira, jabu@iranti-org.co.za

* [http://www.womensnet.org.za Women's Institute For Leadership, Development And Democracy]: 187 Bree St., Longsbank Building, 12th Floor, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa, Tel: (27-11) 836 5656, Fax: (27-11) 836 5620

* [http://www.iwcjoburgsa.co.za/ International Women's Club - Johannesburg]:  

* Rural Women's Movement: POB 62535, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa, Tel: (27 11) - 833 1060, Fax: (27 11) - 834 8385

* Joint Enrichment Project: 6th Floor, Khotoso House, 62 Marshall St, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa, Tel: (271-1) 834-6865/9, Fax: (271-1) 834-4955

* National Council Of African Women: 18 Philip Street, POB 9833, Gauteng, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa, Tel: (27-11) 935 1597, Fax: (27 11) 935 2157

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