Changing attitudes towards abortion in Europe

Objective To understand how personal and social attitudes are changing regarding more available safe abortion in Europe. Results Abortion has been commonly practiced for a long time throughout most of the world, either in legal or illegal conditions, but it is a subject that arouses passion and controversy, because abortion raises two important issues, namely sex and life, sometimes mixed with religion and ethics. Over the past few years, we have observed changes in laws, and personal and professional attitudes towards abortion. Social needs modify the attitudes of the authorities and individuals. In many countries where the performance of abortion is illegal, statistics indicate that large numbers of abortions are carried out, but authorities are indifferent, ignore or tolerate it or even unofficially license clinics for the abortion. In some other countries where abortion is technically legal, access to authorized facilities and personnel may be limited, or resources to pay for the abortion may be lacking, resulting in more illegal abortions. There are, therefore, two categories of abortion: legal versus illegal, and safe versus unsafe. However, laws are changing, becoming even more liberal, even if, in certain nations, there are renewed attempts to question the right of women to decide. Practice is changing and in some cases becoming separate from the law. Basic ideas are changing, because, in a large number of European countries, we are moving from a culture of abortion to a culture of contraception and prevention of abortion, through an effort of governments, women, professionals, and non-governmental organizations. Certainly, important steps have been taken in the different ways of performing an abortion. For example, we have seen the arrival of medical abortion, with the use of mifepristone and misoprostol. Finally, there is also a change in the way of supporting women through humane and complete counseling, which includes attention to follow-up services offering a choice of contraceptive methods to help women avoid another unwanted pregnancy. Conclusions There is some resistance at different levels, but attitudes are changing in a positive way throughout Europe, offering a good quality of service, good facilities, well-trained practitioners and more open minds.