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Kate S. Wilson,
Sandra G.
García, Claudia Diaz, Eileen A. Yam, and Jorge
Buendia. "Changes in Mexicans' knowledge and attitudes about
reproductive health issues."
ABSTRACT
Learning objectives
At the end of this presentation, the participant should:
understand how public opinion on abortion and emergency
contraception (EC) in Mexico changed over time from 2000 to 2006;
and understand the policy implications of Mexican public opinion
about these complex issues.
Background
Mexico has some of the strictest abortion laws in the world.
Mexican abortion laws vary by state, and the only circumstance under
which abortion is permitted throughout the country is in cases of
rape. In 2000, little was known about Mexicans' experience,
knowledge, and opinions of abortion and emergency contraception (EC). A survey was conducted at that time to gauge public opinion on these
controversial issues, and a follow-up survey was fielded in 2006.
Design/methods
Both surveys were household probability samples in six geographic
regions in Mexico. The first survey was conducted in 2000, with an
n = 3,000. In 2006, we repeated the survey, adapting the 2000
questionnaire, with 3,500 participants. Abortion prevalence was
estimated in 2006 by using a “sealed-envelope technique,” giving
literate women a one-page questionnaire asking whether or not they
had ever had a pregnancy “not carried to term” and whether they had
ever induced abortion.
Results/outcomes
EC awareness doubled between 2000 and 2006 (from 31 to 59
percent) and use of EC (9 percent) was similar to that documented in
other Latin American countries for 2006. The proportion of
respondents who would recommend EC use increased from 48 to 77
percent. In 2006, 69 percent (vs. 80 percent in 2000) believed that
abortion should be legal when a woman's life is at risk, and far
fewer respondents supported legal abortion for economic reasons (17
percent in 2000 vs. 12 percent in 2006). Of the literate women who
responded to the sealed-envelope questions (n = 1,518), 14 percent had
experienced a pregnancy that they did not carry to term, and 4
percent stated they had ever induced an abortion. One percent of all
literate women stated they had ever used misoprostol to interrupt a
pregnancy.
Conclusions
Mexicans' awareness of EC is increasing, but public opinion on
EC and abortion remains conservative. Nevertheless, abortion opinion
varies widely depending on the circumstances under which the woman
seeks pregnancy termination, with greater support for circumstances
that are out of the woman’s control (e.g., severe health problem vs.
financial difficulties). The percentage of women who stated that
they had ever induced an abortion was substantially lower than those
documented in previous Mexican abortion prevalence studies that used
less direct techniques of asking women about previous abortion
experience. Advocacy and educational efforts must continue to
emphasize promoting awareness of EC and destigmatizing abortion,
particularly in cases where women are legally entitled to pregnancy
termination.
Panel Session G6—Attitude and Access: Abortion and Postabortion
Care
Friday, 30 May 2008,
2:15–4:15
pm
2008
International Conference on Global Health Web site
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