Pregnant women in Spain who suffer from AIDS request help to avoid abortion

Madrid, Spain, Jul 22, 2004 / 22:00 pm

The Association of Abortion Victims (AAV) in Spain are responding to calls from pregnant women infected with AIDS who are being pressured by health officials to procure abortions, despite the fact that new treatments have brought about a reduction in the chances of the virus being passed on the fetus.

The AAV referred to the case of a 23 year-old woman “who has been pressured this year because she is HIV-positive and she wants to continue her pregnancy by taking the necessary medical treatment to prevent her baby from contracting the virus.”

The woman became pregnant “after she had already become HIV-infected and the chief doctors and gynecologists of the Hospital in her area pressured her not to have the child.”

“They told me to get an abortion because they said the baby was going to be born HIV-positive for sure, that he would be deformed and that he would be a monster,” said the mother, who decided not to kill her child and instead sought medical treatment throughout the pregnancy.

Her child was born completely normal and HIV tests were negative.  “We are awaiting the results of a second test, but even if my son has the virus, I have the right to have him and to be a mother.  They had no right to treat me like this for nine months.  My child has not been a burden to anybody, and if he is sick, I will take care of him,” she told the AAV.

According to the AAV, “This 23 year-old mother did not want to get an abortion and she has had to defend the life of her child during the entire pregnancy, leaving her psychologically devastated.”  “There are more cases like this coming to the attention of Association.  Men and women are becoming victims of social pressure to not have their children,” the group said.

“In the name of all those pressured by their doctors, bosses and families, and of all those who have been forced to have an abortion,” the association called for greater support from society for couples in difficult situations who want to continue forward with their pregnancies.

“People must know the scientific truth about the physical and psychological consequences of abortion or the termination of pregnancy and they should have other options besides abortion,” the Association added.