Dear Editor,
Adolescent Fertility Rate: Argentina, 2015-2021
Source: CEDEs Annual 2022 Report. The Paths of the Argentine Experience with Legal Abortion, June 2023.
Those good people who oppose our constitutional challenge to the abortion law, claim that “If you make abortion legal, you will encourage licentious sexual activity, especially among young people. That is so obvious. There will be no restraint.” This is the loud, probably sincere, but utterly false claim. It is popular, but it is fictional and fueled by fear. The facts of legalization in Barbados and Guyana prove otherwise. The number of abortions at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) fell by 53% in just 10 years after abortion was legalized in 1983. The drop among teenagers was even higher at 58.9%. Similarly, in Guyana, the abortion rate is 20% lower than it was before abortion was legalized in 1995.
And now the facts from Roman Catholic Argentina (63%) show the same story. There, the government introduced a three-layer model. They gave teenagers 16-17 full autonomy. They allowed teens 13-15 independent access providing there was no serious risk. And for those 12 and younger, they allowed access but required the presence of an adult chosen by the child. In just six years with this model, the adolescent fertility rate among teens 15-19 fell from 62.6 to 27, a drop of almost 57%. That is remarkable.
This is what evidence-based health policy can accomplish. We can stick to our fear-based practice and preserve our current horrible results. Of course, continuing to do what we know does not work, is what a very smart man called madness. Or, we can find the courage to try a new approach based on facts and evidence. We can replace obstacles and ignorance with access and education.