Public needs to know about women dying from 'legal abortions'

Cheryllyn Dudley MP


The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) rejects the use of misoprostal in legal abortions. This follows the death of a woman who died earlier this year after apparently taking the drug during a “legal abortion”. This is the second such death related to a ‘legal abortion’ in the Western Cape.

“The public is unaware of the number of women dying from abortions. It appears that abortion-related deaths of mothers are not being recorded. And many “legally” aborted babies are recorded as miscarriages.” said Cheryllyn Dudley, ACDP MP and spokesperson on health matters.

The ACDP is calling on health authorities to release information regarding maternal deaths caused by legal abortions.

“The Western Cape health department has not revealed the results of the post-mortem. However, the ACDP believes that if this death is a result of legal abortion, it should be made public.”

Research suggests that maternal injuries and deaths from legal abortions are generally not reported.

“This silence is harmful to women, who are denied access to accurate information regarding the safety of ‘legal abortions.’”

The Abortion Amendment Bill enters its final phase tomorrow. That’s when the National Assembly will vote, once again, on the Choice of Termination of Pregnancy amendment bill, which returned with a technical amendment proposed by the NCOP.

Yesterday, the ACDP expressed shock at the ongoing refusal for a debate in Parliament regarding the Abortion Bill.

“The fact is that the amendments to the Bill will ‘increase’ access to abortion. This will have far-reaching repercussions and it doesn’t have the support of a large percentage of health workers. The government has simply shrugged it off ‘once again’.”