Legally
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In Victoria, abortion is a legal medical procedure.1 It is performed with your consent and in consultation with a doctor. Abortion in Victoria is a common and safe medical procedure.2 see the fact sheet Medical and clinical information about abortion at the Women’s for more detail.
You have the right to decide if you:
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- continue the pregnancy
- become a parent
- choose adoption
- have an abortion.
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At the Royal Women’s Hospital, we offer counselling, medical and surgical services for women with unplanned pregnancies. You can get support, information and referral for any of these options by contacting us.
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Socially
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Around 80% of Australians support a woman’s right to choose.3 Deciding to have an abortion is a personal decision based on each woman’s unique situation. You are the best judge of what is right for you because only you can weigh up how the pregnancy affects you.
However abortion is still difficult to talk about openly. Some women report feeling judged or pressured by the opinions of partners, families, friends, religion, communities and the wider society in general. Women may feel criticised for being sexually active and getting pregnant. They may feel judged for thinking about being a single parent or for considering abortion.
Sometimes women are also self-critical and may be angry or disappointed with themselves for being in a situation where they need to make such a decision. It is no wonder women feel like this after hearing the opinions and judgements of everyone else – it can feel like a ‘no-win’ situation.
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Unplanned pregnancies are very common
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It’s estimated there are about 200,000 unplanned pregnancies in Australia every year.4 There are many reasons unplanned pregnancies happen, including:
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- lack of 100% effective and available contraception
- lack of a supportive partner sharing responsibility for contraception
- lack of control in a relationship when it comes to sex or family planning
- lack of understanding on using contraception correctly
- a sexual assault.
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It is important to remember that many women face an unplanned pregnancy at some stage in their lives. In Australia, it is estimated that more than one in three women will have an abortion by age 455 and that around 75 000 women have an abortion here each year.6 These statistics tell us that many women find themselves in a situation where they need to make a decision about an unplanned pregnancy.
While many women have support when they face an unplanned pregnancy, other women feel like they are very alone. It is often the judgement around unplanned pregnancy and abortion that prevents women talking freely about their situation. But it is likely that one in three women you know has also had an unplanned pregnancy. These women could be your sister, your friend, your mother, your teacher, your boss – women just like you have also faced an unplanned pregnancy. The best thing we can do for all these women is support them to make the decision they feel is best in their own unique situation.
If you want to discuss your options with someone objective and non-judgmental, you can make an appointment to see a counsellor at the Pregnancy Advisory Service on (03) 8345 3063.
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References
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1. Victorian State Government, Abortion Law Reform Act 2008, www.legislation.vic.gov.au
2. Victorian State Government, Better Health Victoria, ‘Abortion procedures’, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au, viewed online June 2, 2010
3. Gibson R et al, ‘The Australian Survey of Social Attitudes’, Canberra, Australian Social Science Data Archive, The Australian National University, www.assda.edu.au, viewed January 2010.
4. Victorian State Government, Better Health Victoria, ‘Pregnancy – your options’, www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au, viewed online December 1, 2010
5. Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (RANZCOG), 'Termination of pregnancy: a resource for health professionals', November 2005, Victoria, p.2
6. Rosenthal, D et al. 'Understanding Women's Experiences of Unplanned Pregnancy and Abortion', Key Centre for Women's Health in Society, University of Melbourne, 2009, p.6.
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