The abortion pill is available in Czech pharmacies on prescription since Monday, June 16th. The pill was registered with the Czech State Institute for Drug Control (SÚKL) last year but with the proviso that it can only be prescribed by special health care facilities, such as hospitals and other facilities providing indoor treatment. Women must take the pill in hospital and stay there one hour afterwards, but further hospitalization is not needed.
Most gynecologists welcome the new product saying it is more considerate for the woman’s body. “I can understand that this is a delicate matter due to various lobbyists’ groups fighting against abortion. Nevertheless, it has been legal in our country for decades, so if a woman has the right to end her pregnancy, doctors may do it in a different way, not only the surgical one,†said Marek Lubuský, from a maternity clinic of the Olomouc Teaching Hospital, north Moravia. He pointed out that in up to 7 percent of cases women have to undergo a minor surgery to complete the abortion even after taking the pill. Yet this method is still better for the woman’s body, he added. The only disadvantage is that the abortion pill, unlike a surgical abortion, is not covered by health insurance in the cases of abortion for health reasons. Consequently, even these women would have to pay the pill from their own pockets.
Tens of thousands of people protested against the registration of the abortion pill in the CzechRepublic last year. The Movement for Life has collected more than 70,000 signatures on its petition. Despite the protests the pill was legalized and the Czech Republic has become one of the 25 European countries where it is available.
Source: Prague Post
