We answer frequently asked questions about abortion and sexuality in a simple way.
The weeks of gestation are counted from the first day of your last period. Remember that what should be taken into account is your menstrual cycle and not the time at which you had sexual intercourse.
No, they cannot condition the practice of abortion on you choosing a long-term method of contraception. Although you should be given advice on contraceptive methods, you are not required to choose any.
Both the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and the World Health Organization have classified curettage as an obsolete procedure that should not be used as a method for abortion due to the complications it may have. There are currently safe methods that should be used, such as AMEU, DyE and IAF.
Abortion in Colombia is free until week 24, meaning that to access abortion you only need your consent and you don't need to prove any requirements. After week 24, you can only access it for 3 reasons: danger to your physical or mental health, malformation of the fetus incompatible with life, and rape or incest.
The procedure done under appropriate conditions is very safe and the likelihood of complications is low. You should be aware of these warning signs:
The method depends on how many weeks you have. Before week 12, abortion is with medication (pharmacological), with misoprostol alone or with a combination of misoprostol and mifepristone. After week 12, the method is surgical or instrumental.
EPS cannot take more than 5 calendar days to guarantee you access to abortion from the moment you request it. If you are less than 12 weeks old, you can choose the pharmacological method that can be done from home. Additionally, most surgical methods are outpatient, meaning that hospitalization is not necessary in principle.
Yes, no one can access your medical record without your authorization because the medical record is a document subject to the reservation of law. If you're a minor, your parents or legal guardians can't access your medical record either.
Because you are a minor, you don't need authorization from anyone (not your mom or dad). The decision is yours. You don't need them or an adult to accompany you to the doctor's appointment either. You can be accompanied by whoever you want.
Safe abortion in the health care system is free. If you have EPS, your EPS must bear the costs of the procedure. If you are not affiliated with the health system, then you should go to a public hospital for emergencies, where they do it for free.
