The process of medicalization of abortion in Poland began when pregnancy termination procedures were legalized in 1956.The context in which that was possible is important:it happened under the communist rule as part of the Soviet bloc.The main goal of communism was to promote scientific approach to medicine and to eliminate popular folk medicine.The communist rule was also characterized by state feminism,which involved mass employment of women in industry and other occupations.The positive side to the changes was the fact that health care was free of charge.However,the system excluded the care of village healers and abortionists who were replaced by obstetricians-gynecologists,usually men.According to the official propaganda,an abortion that was not performed by a medical professional was dangerous for a woman’s health and could cause her death.Indeed,abortion-related mortality decreased,but the rate of abortion itself did not fall;it gradually increased.This is typical for countries with no free market,including communist ones,where access to contraceptive pills is very limited with abortion being the primary method of birth control.After the fall of communism in Poland,access to abortion was severely restricted;nevertheless,contraceptive pills and morning-after pills are available on prescription from pharmacies.The total fertility rate decreased in comparison to the period of communism and its broad access to abortion.Therefore,I maintain that the process of medicalization of abortion has not ended despite the partial disenfranchisement of women.
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