Reproductive Health Matters
Volume 13, Issue 26 , Pages 35-43 , November 2005

Medical Abortion: The Possibilities for Introduction in the Public Sector in South Africa

  • Diane Cooper

      Affiliations

    • Senior Researcher, Women's Health Research Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
    • ,
  • Kim Dickson

      Affiliations

    • HIV/AIDS Advisor, DFID Nigeria
    • ,
  • Kelly Blanchard

      Affiliations

    • President, Ibis Reproductive Health, Cambridge MA, USA
    • ,
  • Lee Cullingworth

      Affiliations

    • Research Consultant, Women's Health Research Unit, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
    • ,
  • Nqobile Mavimbela

      Affiliations

    • Project Officer, UNICEF, Pretoria, South Africa
    • ,
  • Clare von Mollendorf

      Affiliations

    • Research Clinician, Reproductive Health Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
    • ,
  • Louis van Bogaert

      Affiliations

    • Specialist Obstetrician-Gynaecologist, Consultant, St Rita's Hospital, Limpopo Province, South Africa
    • ,
  • Beverly Winikoff

      Affiliations

    • President, Gynuity Health Projects, New York NY, USA

References 

  1. Grimes DA. Medical abortion in early pregnancy: a review of the evidence. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1997;89(5 Pt 1):790–796
  2. WHO Task Force on Post-Ovulatory Methods of Fertility Regulation. Menstrual regulation by mifepristone plus prostaglandin: results from a multicentre trial. Human Reproduction. 1995;10(2):308–314
  3. Winikoff B, Sivin I, Coyaji KJ, et al. Safety, efficacy, and acceptability of medical abortion in China, Cuba, and India: a comparison trial of mifepristone-misoprostol versus surgical abortion. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1997;176(2):431–437
  4. Cooper D, Morroni C, Orner P, et al. Ten years of democracy in South Africa: documenting transformation in reproductive health policy and status. Reproductive Health Matters. 2004;24(12):70–85
  5. Republic of South Africa. The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Amendment Bill, 2003. Government Gazette Notice No. 1388 of 2003, 19 May 2003. At: 〈 http://www.info.gov.za/gazette/bills/2003/24869b.pdf〉. Accessed 6 August 2005
  6. Dickson KE, Jewkes RK, Brown H, et al. Abortion service provision in South Africa three years after liberalisation of the law. Studies in Family Planning. 2003;34(4):277–284
  7. World Health Organization. Safe Abortion: Technical and Policy Guidelines for Health Systems. Geneva: WHO; 2003;
  8. Department of Health, Republic of South Africa. South African Demographic and Health Survey. Pretoria: Department of Health; 2001;
  9. Klugman B. Balancing means and ends: population policy in South Africa. Reproductive Health Matters. 1993;1:44–57
  10. Mamadani M, Garner P, Harpham RP, et al. Review article. Fertility and contraceptive use in poor urban areas of developing countries. Health Policy and Planning. 1993;14:199–209
  11. Siebert I, Steyn PS. Knowledge and use of emergency contraception in a tertiary referral unit in a developing country. European Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care. 2002;7:137–143
  12. Smit J, McFadyen L, Beksinska M, et al. Emergency contraception in South Africa: knowledge, attitudes and use among public sector primary health care clients. Contraception. 2001;64:333–337
  13. Department of Health, Republic of South Africa. Summary Report. Pretoria: National HIV and Syphilis Antenatal Seroprevalence Survey in South Africa; 2005;
  14. Hessini L. Global progress in abortion advocacy and policy: an assessment of the decade since ICPD. Reproductive Health Matters. 2005;13(25):88–100
  15. WHO Essential Medicines Library. At: 〈 http://mednet3.who.int/EMLib/DiseaseTreatments/MedicineDetails.aspx?MedIDName=443@mifepristone-misoprostol〉. Accessed August 2005
  16. Cullingworth L, de Pinho H. Cost analysis of service provision of medical abortions in the public health sector at primary and secondary level. Monograph. University of Cape Town. June 2002.
  17. Kawonga M, Blanchard K, Cooper D, et al. Integrating medical abortion into safe abortion services in South Africa. Presentation at Eleventh Reproductive Health Priorities Conference, Sun City, Fourways, South Africa. October 2004.
  18. Correa S, Germain A, Petchesky RP. Thinking beyond ICPD+10: Where should our movement be going? [Roundtable]. Reproductive Health Matters. 2005;13(25):109–119

PII: S0968-8080(05)26203-1

doi: 10.1016/S0968-8080(05)26203-1

Reproductive Health Matters
Volume 13, Issue 26 , Pages 35-43 , November 2005

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