From risk and harm reduction to decriminalizing abortion: The Uruguayan model for women's rights
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Objective To describe public policies, social actions, particularly those of obstetricians/gynecologists, and changes in abortion-related legislation in the different historical periods between 1990 and 2015, and to analyze temporal correlations with a reduction in maternal mortality. Methods The 1990-2015 period was divided into three different stages to permit evaluation of the legislation, health regulations, healthcare system, and professional practices related to the care provided in cases of unsafe abortion: 1990-2001, characterized by illegality and the healthcare system's denial of abortion; 2001-2012, when the model for reducing the risk and harm of unsafe abortions was developed; and 2012-2015, when abortion was finally decriminalized. Results Changes in public policies and expansion of the risk reduction model coincided with changes in the social perception of abortion and a decrease in maternal mortality and abortion rates, probably due to a set of public policies that led to the decriminalization of abortion in 2012. Conclusion Changes in public policies and health actions such as the model for reducing the risk and harm of unsafe abortions coincided with a marked reduction in abortion-related maternal mortality. The challenges still to be faced include managing second trimester abortions, ensuring the creation of multidisciplinary teams, and offering postabortion contraception.
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Several ObGyn societies in other countries have successfully deployed their role as advocates to publicly support abortion reform.
“However, several ObGyn societies in other countries have successfully deployed their role as advocates to publicly support abortion reform.”
From Advocating safe abortion: outcomes of a multi‐country needs assessment on the potential role of national societies of obstetrics and gynecology (2020) · cites this paper as [28]
Factors that facilitated reform in these countries were organizational commitments to reduce maternal mortality and a vocal public health sector, in addition to an active civil society movement, favorable public opinion, and the right political momentum.
“Factors that facilitated reform in these countries were organizational commitments to reduce maternal mortality and a vocal public health sector, in addition to an active civil society movement, favorable public opinion, and the right political momentum.18, 24, 28, 32”
From Advocating safe abortion: outcomes of a multi‐country needs assessment on the potential role of national societies of obstetrics and gynecology (2020) · cites this paper as [28]
More recently, ObGyn societies in Uruguay and Ireland supported abortion reform.
“and more recently this happened in Uruguay28 and Ireland.29”
From Advocating safe abortion: outcomes of a multi‐country needs assessment on the potential role of national societies of obstetrics and gynecology (2020) · cites this paper as [28]
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References 15 · Cited by 33
- Authors
- Briozzo, L.
- Affiliations
- Universidad de la República de Uruguay (UY)
- Corresponding author
- Briozzo, Leonel
- ORCID
- Briozzo, Leonel
- Venue
- International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2016-08
- Volume
- 134
- Issue
- S1
- Pages
- S3-6
- ISSN
- 0020-6695 (ISSN-L)
- 0020-7292
- 1879-3479
- OpenAlex
- W2510120943
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 4.96
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Health and Contraception
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › International Human Rights and Reproductive Law
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Global Maternal and Child Health
- Keywords
- decriminalization of abortion, unsafe abortion, maternal mortality, abortion law, public health policy, obstetricians and gynecologists, Uruguay, post-abortion contraception, second-trimester abortion, multidisciplinary team
- MeSH terms
- Abortion, Legal, Female, Health Policy, Humans, Maternal Mortality, Pregnancy, Social Perception, Uruguay, Women's Rights, Risk Reduction Behavior, Harm Reduction
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