Attitudes towards abortion among medical trainees in Mexico City public hospitals

Abstract

During the past decade, there has been considerable discussion in Mexico about abortion, and some progress has been made in improving legislation in line with agreements made at the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994. The attitude of physicians toward abortion is a topic of interest throughout the world. In particular, this due to the fact that in many places physicians play the role of gatekeeper, controlling women's access to safe abortion services. This article explores the attitudes among medical residents in obstetrics and gynaecology in Mexico City regarding abortion. Most residents accept that abortion services should be provided to women who become pregnant as a result of rape; to women for whom pregnancy could be life-threatening; or in case of severe foetal malformation. The majority believed that public health systems should offer abortion services for legal indications. However, few of the medical professionals interviewed said that they would personally provide abortion services.