The development was expected, but the context in which it was just made official gives it a special relief: in the aftermath the presentation of the draft constitution to the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, December 12th Regarding the freedom to resort to voluntary termination of pregnancy (abortion), the government announced“Extension” the possibility for midwives to carry out instrumental abortions in health facilities – i.e. in the operating room.

“Beyond the capacity to provide medical abortions granted since 2016, this new capability represents a strong response to access challenges [à l’avortement] observed in certain areas », defended Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau in one communicatedTuesday evening.

When it comes to“Extension”This is also because the turnaround has already taken place: in the law of March 2022 to strengthen the right to abortion, this ability given to midwives was tested in 26 health facilities for a year. THE ” frame “ Experiments had even been established earlier in the Social Security Financing Law for 2021, then in a decree that established the necessary conditions regarding the organization of hospitals, the experience and the training of smart women.

hurry up

This is part of the challenge for those interested who are counting the days until the release, “imminent”we whisper about the new decree on Avenue de Ségur. Time is running out: the experimental phase officially ends on Thursday, December 14th. “We fear borders, borders, emphasizes Camille Dumortier, vice president of the Union Organization of Midwives. It would be a shame to show progress and specifically limit the scope. »

A first draft of the text, circulated at the end of November, proposed to shorten the period for instrumental abortions for midwives to 14 weeks of amenorrhea (i.e. 12 weeks of pregnancy), while it could be up to 16 weeks. Amenorrhea (14 weeks of pregnancy) if the abortion is carried out by a doctor. “This is stipulated in Article 1 of the draft decree that was presented to us two weeks ago and which we did not like.”emphasizes Isabelle Derrendinger, President of the National Council of the Order of Midwives.

“The extension [de deux semaines] This deadline was set in stone Albane Gayot’s law [promulguée en mars 2022, du nom de l’ancienne députée du Val-de-Marne]she remembers. It is not only a question of the ability of midwives to respect them, but above all a problem of respect for patients’ rights at a time when medical neglect is increasing. »

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