Gynaecologists protest against extension French abortion law

On February 23, the National Assembly definitively expanded the national abortion law, Evangeliques Info reports. According to the parliamentarians, too many women travel abroad to get an abortion. The amendment should decrease that number. The deputies pointed out that many women do not realise that they are pregnant until after 12 weeks, the current legal deadline for an abortion.

However, the day after the adoption of the amendment, gynaecologists raised their voices and denounced the extension. Valeurs writes that the practitioners are indignant about the fact that politicians do not seem to realise what an abortion at 14 weeks looks like, especially compared to ending a pregnancy at 12 weeks. Israel Nisand, president of the National College of French Obstetrician Gynaecologists, says that he invited parliamentarians to come and see an abortion at 14 weeks. "All refused." Already in 2020, the National College of French Obstetrician Gynaecologists published an unfavourable report on abortion at 14 weeks.

According to the protesting gynaecologists, the new law is not a progression but rather a regression in terms of women's rights. Practitioner Anne-Laure says that this new law is one more step towards the "trivialisation of abortion."

Israel Nisand is a fervent defender of the right to abortion. Yet, he is opposed to the extension of the abortion law. Describing the complexity and brutality of an abortion at 14 weeks of pregnancy, Nisand explains that the weight of the fetus doubles between 12 and 14 weeks. "In addition, the diameter of its head doubles, and the skull forms. If we have to do an abortion at 14 weeks, we either have to cause a mini delivery, or we have to take out the fetus piece by piece."

At 12 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus can be removed from the womb by a suction cannula, practitioner Anne-Laure explains. At 14 weeks of pregnancy, this will be much more complex, as the fetus is larger and its head is ossified, she says.