ABORTION AROUND THE WORLD- LOOKING FOR THE GOLDEN MEAN

Abstract

The tendency towards the radicalization of abortion law is observed in numerous countries, including Poland. Even in a predominantly liberal country like the United States, some of the individual 50 states have banned terminations. Equal access restrictions are also associated with financial issues–the procedure is paid for out-of-pocket in many countries and otherwise might be very expensive and unaffordable. Nevertheless, the main problems associated with the contemporary policy of birth regulation include: no possibility of undergoing a termination because of the conscience clause invoked by the medical personnel, restrictive abortion law, and lack of sexual education. Fetal and maternal autonomies remain in opposition in the event of a termination decision. In most countries, the fetus has no legal personhood before birth and the mother is the primary decision-maker. Our studies in Poland, Italy, USA, and experience from the Middle East suggest minimal changes that are needed: improved sex education and the availability of contraception, free access to abortion-inducing drugs with adequate information provided by qualified medical personnel in countries with a conscience clause invoked by the personnel, and the development of an international network that would facilitate undergoing a pregnancy termination abroad to provide women with access to legal abortion assisted by professional medical personnel. Moreover, the moral status of the fetus and the moment at which we recognize the fetus as a living being will remain a contentious and intractable issue. Therefore, it seems reasonable to base decision enforcement on the law of the country, however, the law is often conditioned by religious aspects.