Abortion in Panama

Abortion in Panama is illegal except in instances that the pregnancy is life-threatening or the health of the woman is at risk, or if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

History

A penal code was set in place on September 22, 1982, which penalized illegal abortions. This code is still active today.

In 2005, a poll was conducted with a simple questionnaire. One of the questions asked, "Do you agree or disagree with abortion?" 89.4% of those that answered were against abortions.^[1] According to the CIA, based upon the population as a whole, 85% of Panamanians are against abortion.^[2] Approximately four-fifths of Panama's population practices Roman Catholicism, which has as its official stance that abortion is murder.

Legality

In Panama, abortion is illegal with the exception of two circumstances: if the mother's life is endangered by the pregnancy, or if she is the victim of rape or incest.

Penalties for abortion

The punishment for a woman who has an illegal abortion is one to three years in prison. The punishment for a doctor or other person who provides the procedure with the woman's consent is 3 to 6 years in prison. If the procedure is done without the woman's consent, the punishment is 5 to 10 years in prison. If the woman dies as a result of the abortion, the punishment for the abortion provider is 5 to 10 years in prison. If the woman's husband is found guilty of performing the abortion, the penalties are increased by one sixth.^[3]

Access to abortion facilities

The only abortions allowed to be performed are done by doctors in government-run hospitals.^[4]

However, NGOs like Women on Waves offer abortions to women in Panama in international ocean waters, where they are no longer under the jurisdiction of the republic of Panama government.[9]

Alternatives to abortion

Contraceptives

Condoms, tubal ligation, and some intrauterine devices (IUDs) are available at no cost to a woman. Other forms of contraception that require a fee, such as other IUDs and chemical drugs (like the Depo shot), are available, but the woman does not need to get a prescription to obtain them.^[4]

Family planning

In 1965, the Asociación Panameña para el Planeamiento de la Familia (APLAFA) was founded to help women control the size of their families. A private family planning group, APLAFA has gone to great lengths not just to reduce the rate of teen pregnancy, but also to aid pregnant women with pre- and post-natal care for their unwanted pregnancies.^[5] The Panamanian government has also played a constructive role in the family planning movement. It offers services which teach couples about natural birth control methods (such as the ovulation method, the symptothermal method, and the rhythm method),^[6] as well as modern methods, which many know as "the pill", shots, patches, sterilization, and others.^[7]

See also

• Abortion by country
• Abortion law
• Reproductive rights in Latin America

References

1. "The Epidemiology of Abortion in Pro-Life Panama". PRI. 2006-03-01. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
2. "The World Factbook". cia.gov. 4 April 2023.
3. "Abortion Policy". United Nations Population Division. Archived from the original on 2006-02-20. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
4. http://www.pop.org/00000000147/the-epidemiology-of-abortion-in-pro-life-panama^{[permanent dead link‍]}
5. "Abortion Policy". www.un.org. Archived from the original on April 1, 2016.
6. "Natural Family Planning -- familydoctor.org". Archived from the original on 2010-06-15. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
7. "Use of Modern Family Planning Methods up in Rural Areas". Archived from the original on 2009-11-15. Retrieved 2010-04-13.

External links

• abpanama.com
• Historical abortion statistics, Panama