It is a highly contested decree in its first version in December which, now revised, should “facilitate access” to abortion, knowing that instrumental abortions represent around 20% of abortions performed. Specially trained midwives will be able to perform instrumental abortion in health establishments, under the same safety conditions as doctors, under a decree published this Wednesday. The latter simplifies procedures.
The first version of the decree, published in mid-December, was widely criticized by midwives’ organizations because it provided for “restrictive” practice conditions, going well beyond the safeguards now required when the gesture is carried out by a gynecologist or general practitioner. The December decree notably required the simultaneous presence in the establishment of a doctor specializing in orthogenics, an obstetrician-gynecologist, an anesthetist and an embolization tray (to manage extremely rare complications), conditions under which Only large maternity wards respond, particularly those in university hospitals…
These conditions also went beyond those required for childbirth, which is nevertheless more risky according to the professionals. Midwives and associations fighting for women’s rights quickly denounced a “counterproductive” text, going “against its objectives”, since it did not make it possible to develop access to abortion in medical deserts.
The new decree removes these restrictive conditions
The decree “defines new training conditions for professionals and simpler organizational conditions,” specifies the Minister for Health Frédéric Valletoux in a press release. “The terms of care as well as the procedure in the event of complications will now be identical regardless of the professional carrying out the act of instrumental abortion, thereby fully recognizing the role and expertise of midwives,” continues -he.
“As long as they do it in an establishment which has authorization for this type of act, there is no need to have, alongside them, a doctor who, above their shoulder, would check what they would do,” Frédéric Valletoux said on Wednesday on France Inter. For clarification, however, midwives have already been able, since 2016, to perform medical abortion.