Women’s union wants to extend abortion to 12 weeks

The Women’s Union Alternative and Response (UMAR) on Tuesday defended extending the voluntary termination period from ten to twelve weeks and making the three-day cooling-off period optional.

Portugal is one of the three European countries where the gestational age at which voluntary termination of pregnancy (VT) can be carried out is 10 weeks and six days, specialist Ana Campos said at a press conference also attended by Maria José Alves and Idalina Rodrigues. , doctors who participated in the fight to decriminalize abortion.

Noting that the World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends 12 weeks, Ana Campos, at a UMAR press conference during the 11 February 2007 referendum on the decriminalization of abortion and the implementation of the law, stated that Portugal should “follow these decisions”. and change the law to 12 weeks.”

“I think we shouldn’t be afraid of people having an abortion later because we women know that once the decision is made, it needs to be done as quickly as possible,” the obstetrician said.

For Ana Campos, the three-day reflection period should also no longer be mandatory.

“At the moment the usual waiting period for consultation is five days, and even a more or less complete answer has been given, 5-6 days at the national level, but when a person comes for a consultation, they usually have to wait three days,” he added.

According to the specialist, these three days are “completely unnecessary” for most women and often represent a delay in relation to situations already late in pregnancy.

“Women do not want to wait because they have already decided, but there are those who want and must wait. Therefore, this issue of three days should not be mandatory, but should be optional,” he emphasized at the UMAR press conference. .