Understanding women's experiences with misoprostol for self-induced abortion in Peru

Abortion in Peru is legally restricted except to save the woman's life or health, and then only if provided by a trained medical doctor. Pressure from conservative groups and general misinformation about the availability of therapeutic abortion keeps even these services unavailable. Within this panorama exists misoprostol, a gastric-ulcer drug used increasingly to induce an abortion in relative privacy and limiting need for medical intervention. The purpose of this research was to identify and understand how women described their experiences with misoprostol, within a legally and socially restrictive context. The findings are based on a convenience sample of interviews conducted in 2009 of 19 Peruvian women ranging in age from 17 – 43 and living in one of four urban or peri-urban areas who had used misoprostol to self-induce their abortions. Stigma related to unplanned pregnancy is often resolved through abortion – in itself stigmatized due to social and legal restrictions. Shame prevented many women from sharing their experiences with friends and family members. They were reluctant to access formal health services due to costs, stigma, and fear of being reported to the authorities. Misoprostol provided safer, more affordable alternative to terminate an unplanned pregnancy or provide legitimate access to the medical establishment for treatment of incomplete abortion. Restricting abortion makes it unsafe, especially for poor women. These findings confirm the need for increased information and access to effective contraceptive methods and sexuality education, training for medical professionals, changes in laws and policies, and increased access to safe abortion care.