Family planning and abortion among minors: the Spanish case.

Family planning and abortion among minors in Spain cannot be described very precisely because of changing and ambiguous social norms. Legally however the use and distribution of contraceptives are severely restricted and abortion was until recently completely forbidden regardless of the womens status or age. In 1978 the use of contraceptives was declared no longer a crime and the government undertook to control their distribution as well as to restrict their publicity. The main problems are the lack of centers to provide contraceptive information and counseling and that contraception is not included in Social Security services. The small number of Health Centers cannot meet the family planning demand; the authors are not aware of any discrimination on the basis of age or marital status. Many doctors attend to contraception within the context of gynecological consultations. Most frequently it is the doctor who decides prescribing birth control only in serious cases such as an already large number of children or an illness of the woman. The woman herself does not usually influence his decision. Abortion is an undeniable reality in Spain. In his report for 1973 the Attorney General of the Supreme Court estimated that there were 300000 abortions in 1 year in Spain of which only 10% were spontaneous. Approximately 210000 of these abortions were for single women and widows. All estimates on the subject agree that of all women who abort secretly the majority are single and very young. Abortion varies according to social class and socioeconomic status. Women from lower social classes abort secretly in remote areas of the country under conditions lacking in hygiene and safety. Women from the middle class go to European clinics where abortion is legal. The involvement of the parents in the abortion of a minor daughter is not frequent. Family planning centers report that they receive many consultations on unwanted pregnancies and that their advice is the same regardless of age or marital status: They warn of the risks of having an abortion in Spain and they provide addresses of places in Europe where an abortion can be performed under suitable conditions. The Socialist party won the October 1982 election and they have formed the government in Spain since December 1982. One of the governments 1st actions was to send to the Parliament a bill to decriminalize abortion when the life or health of the woman is in danger when the pregnancy is a consequence of rape and in cases of malformation of the fetus. As the new law has just taken effect its impact on attitudes and behavior regarding abortion cannot yet be assessed.