IVG: “The medical desert is a concern that we face”, the difficult access to abortion in rural areas

Cécile Corbin (à gauche) et Aurèle Tessier lancent un appel aux dons. MIDI LIBRE – ALEXIS BETHUNE

En milieu rural, l’accès à l’interruption volontaire de grossesse est plus difficile pour les jeunes femmes, parfois isolées. En cette Journée internationale du droit des femmes, on fait le point à Alès.

In the Constitution, certainly, but what do we do with inequalities in the face of freedom to abort ? In rural areas of Gard, as everywhere in France, the conditions of access to abortion voluntary pregnancy (abortion) are a real ordeal depending on the location of the women. Especially for the youngest. In the eyes of Aurèle Tessier and Cécile Corbin, president and co-president of Family Planning of Gard, the notion of rights differs from that of freedom, registered since March 4. "In the notion of freedom, everyone will be able to do what they can with what they have. The question we ask is: what will be the conditions of access?", insists Cécile Corbin.

Shortages and medical desert

Between a low flow of public transport, with buses that only pass once or twice a day in certain municipalities, an absence of midwives and gynecologists to fill, the work of two employees in Planning and & rsquo;a handful of volunteers to guide and support the whole of Gard is "clearly not enough". "We have already taken young girls to their appointments to have an abortion, even though most of the time, they find a solution. At the moment, there are no conversations in place to have more transport. Budgets are closing, rather", explains Aurèle Tessier.

"The medical desert is one of the biggest concerns we face. It is therefore complicated to have medical follow-up and a gynecologist, but this question goes beyond planning, and falls under public health policy."& nbsp;This issue is a hindrance from the blood test, the first step undertaken in the process of an abortion. "Either it's in the lab, but it's not free, or it requires a prescription issued by a general practitioner. It delays the procedure, it is all the more blocking for minors, who cannot receive the results themselves." In these In this case, Family Planning redirects young people to the nearest hospital. But in Alès, the hospital center (Chac) has only one gynecologist, close to retirement, to perform instrumental abortions. And even if midwives can now practice abortion, many clauses make the actual practice complicated.

Dense beaches, but no refusal

"L’Occitanie is one of the regions that has the greatest recourse to water treatment. abortion, but among those under 20, çhas decreased", explains Valérie Gayraud, midwife at Chac d’Al& ;egrave;s. "Here, we take care of between 30 and 50 minors per year". Every Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon, during IVG clinics, Valérie Gayraud is one of those who take care of the women. "We are not late for pick-ups. We have dense beaches, that’s for sure, but we don’t turn anyone away. Deadlines until 14 weeks are always respected."And this, with the presence of a gynecologist, a midwife, and a secretary per dedicated slot ;. "The fact that çit works comes first of all from a willé personal, and also team, who does everything for caring care", underlines the midwife. "It’is important, because guilté is very integrated among women. And because an abortion is always significant in a woman’s life. Everyone remembers this day exactly."

"Even if the Bonnefon clinic also has gynecologists who perform abortions, we prefer to send our patients to Chac, we know who is on call on Monday mornings and Wednesday afternoons& quot;, adds Aurèle Tessier. Here again, referral to caring medical staff is a luxury for rural areas. "Few doctors mean few choices. So, depending on who will be present that day, we try to warn our patients of certain paternalistic speeches that they might hear."

Fight against guilt

These comments, moreover, are not isolated cases, and are regularly noted by women. Guilt-inducing behaviors are heard in the medical and private context, as well as in the public sphere. Recently, it was the words of Vivette Lopez, senator from Gard, which sparked a reaction. "These comments amount to saying that abortion is murder. It's part of the blame speech among anti-choice people, who arm themselves heavily to slow down women", Cécile Corbin says indignantly.

"Remember that the only deaths linked to abortion are clandestine abortions."&nbsp ;Despite interventions with young people in general, misinformation about female sexuality has reportedly grown. Between the circulation of ideas on social networks and taboo in general, preconceived ideas are quickly integrated among young people. "During our interventions, we spend a lot of time dismantling rumors about abortion, such as the fact that it can make women sterile, or whatever. washing with Coke interrupts the pregnancy", specifies Aurèle Teissier. "To fight, we need to find something other than events, and many more means. Financial and human."

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