With the US overturning Roe v Wade, allowing almost half of the American states to limit women’s right to abortion, the question echoes in Europe: is this unthinkable in our countries?
In Belgium, the procedure is legal up to 12 weeks after conception. 1 in 5 women terminates a pregnancy and more than 18,000 abortions are performed per year in the country, making the procedure relatively common. Belgian abortion doctors share their views and experiences with De Morgen.
Who are the 1 in 5?
Doctor Ruth Debeuckelaere used to think mainly young girls and unemployed women need abortions, but found out that these cases are actually the exception rather than the rule.
“Most women are in their twenties and thirties. In many cases, they already have children and do not want or cannot have another child. They have become pregnant, even though they have no place for a child in their lives,” she said.
Debeuckelaere says it is rare that women who were raped come to the abortion clinic, while people sometimes think they are the majority.
The procedure
Every client undergoes a medical examination and then has a meeting with a psychosocial employee. “We want to find out her story and make sure she wants to terminate the pregnancy herself, not under pressure from anyone else. She then has a six-day cooling-off period, and only after that can we proceed with the procedure.”
There are two options: provoking a miscarriage with medication or opting for a surgical procedure. The first comes with a risk of serious blood loss, while the cervix is numbed in the second one. “From nine weeks that is the only option, because then the provocation with medication is riskier.”
Cramps and stress
The surgical procedure only takes 15 minutes and the woman experiences little pain, Debeuckelaere explains. “The suction curettage is done under local anaesthetic, but the inside of the uterus is not anaesthetised, so the client can sometimes experience abdominal cramps. She can also experience the pain as more intense because of the stress and sadness.”
While most women are very grateful, Debeuckelaere said, the clinic sometimes receives negative reviews. “Some people think we are heavy-handed. Once in a while, a negative review pops up on Google, saying that we are brutal. That touches me deeply.”
Calling it off
It is up to the doctors to decide whether to undertake the procedure or not, as some women might be put under pressure or face serious doubts. “If the whole story seems rehearsed or if the reasons for the abortion sound contradictory, alarm bells go off. I go by my gut feeling. If I have any doubts, I postpone the procedure. If necessary, we call the team together for an emergency meeting: should we continue or not?”
Social worker Isabelle De Wulf agrees, as she can tell some women visibly struggle with themselves and their convictions. “They say they are against abortion, except for themselves. They feel guilty and sometimes drop the word murder. We don’t try to convince anyone of the contrary, but we do consistently speak of a fruit. Our doctors are not murderers.”
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“If a woman has been raped and has become pregnant, she sometimes wants to keep the child after the preparatory meeting. In most cases, a rapist is not a strange man in an alley, but a partner in a toxic relationship,” De Wulf explains. “The situation is rarely black and white. It is not our job to convince such a person to choose abortion.”
Still, Debeuckelaere emphasises, that group is the exception. “Most clients are just unlucky that contraceptives are still not 100% reliable, not even sterilisation. But as long as people have sex, they will get pregnant unplanned.”
Hate and threats
The doctors also deal with receiving threats and hatred. “We sometimes receive threatening emails,” Debeuckelaere says. “Maybe after this interview I’ll be called a murderer on social media again. It doesn’t bother me, as long as people aren’t right in front of me. I help women in need, no one can blame me.”
De Wulf adds that members of a religious group used to show up at the clinic’s doors a few years ago. “They handed out flyers with misinformation and embryos and dollar coins on them. They also intimidated the clients and the employees. Fortunately, the abortion law recently stated that no one should obstruct access to abortion centres.”
Still a taboo
Debeuckelaere: “In the beginning, I was not aware of that. I told everyone what I did because I’m proud of my job. Until I got a vicious reaction from a woman at the sports club: she was against abortion and let it be known. Since then, I pay more attention to what I say to whom. In my circles, there is a consensus about abortion, but that is not the case everywhere.”
De Wulf once told someone what she does for a living at a party in the Netherlands. “A man said: ‘Don’t you have adoption centres in Belgium?’ I was indignant and started to discuss it extensively. Before I knew it, that fight had ruined the party for me.” Since then, she no longer argues. Not because she’s ashamed, but because she doesn’t always feel like talking about her work.
Nonetheless, they have a passion for their work. “It is an extremely exciting job. Every woman has her own story and sometimes struggles with her choice of abortion,” Debeuckelaere said. “But I wouldn’t call it a fun job. There’s too much sadness in the air for that.”
