Representations and practices of women and doctors in cases of pharmacological abortion in Argentina.

The research work shows the characteristics of the practice of underground pharmacological abortion. The use of medicines that contain misoprostol has become popular in Argentina for the voluntary interruption of pregnancy in a context where abortion is only legal in some circumstances.

We enquired about the representations and practices of women using misoprostol in the city of Cordoba, Argentina, as well as the first level doctors in the health public sector.

The methodology consisted in questionnaires and in-depth interviews in order to know the characteristics of pharmacological abortion carried out by women autonomously and reported by themselves. Concurrently, we interviewed professional doctors on their practices about their using misoprostol in public health institutions.
Preliminary results show that women consider the method beneficial mainly because they gain autonomy and because it presents little risk of them being charged with a crime. Most doctors do not prescribe the drug in the fear that they are accused and due to religious and/or moral conditionings. More advanced results will show that a restrictive law does not stop the number of abortions but it stigmatizes women and health professionals.