- Published: Wednesday, December 11, 2019-




By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

The text of the technical norm for legal abortion, known as therapeutic interruption of pregnancy, was sent to Social Security on Tuesday, announced the Ministry of Health.

According to the ministry, the technical norm is not a window for legalizing abortion. It is a guide for doctors who will face the case of pregnant women when her life or health is in danger.

This regulation is a guide for doctors to assess cases in which abortion can be applied, following Article 121 of the Criminal Code, in force since 1970, which refers to legal "termination of pregnancy when life or health of the woman is in danger," said the ministry.

Social Security authorities have three business days to respond to the norms presented by the ministry. Once the authorities give their criteria, the ministry may make final adjustments and continue with the respective procedure for the implementation of a legal abortion in public and private hospitals following the law.

So Friday is the deadline for Social Security specialists to issue their opinion on this regulation.

"Our goal with this technical norms (referring to regulations), is to protect the life and health of women in cases of danger during pregnancy," said the ministry in its statement. "This guarantees comprehensive care, understandable and timely information for every woman in this situation."

According to the ministry to assess whether or not to perform the abortion, the doctor or the pregnant woman must request the opinion of three doctors who agree to proceed with the abortion.

Also, doctors' recommendations must be made in a maximum of three days.

If the response of the doctors is negative to proceed with the abortion, the pregnant woman can request a new evaluation of three other doctors one more time.

Abortion cannot be applied against the will of the pregnant woman, according to the new norms.

The ministry is the institution responsible for ensuring that hospitals and clinics, both private and public, apply this procedure following the law.

In January, representatives of the National Institute of Women have called on President Carlos Alvarado to approve the regulation of abortion.

According to the institute, new legislation to approve abortion in Costa Rica is not needed. What is needed is compliance with existing legislation. "Without this regulation, the Costa Rican government is violating the international commitments it has assumed to guarantee the effective protection of women's human rights, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women," said the institute.





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