Provision of abortion services by midwives in Limpopo province of South Africa

Abstract

South Africa's Choice on Termination of Pregnancy (CTOP) Act of 1996 allows provision of abortion on request up to 12 weeks of gestation and permits midwives who have completed required training to conduct termination of pregnancies. This unique codification of midwives' role in abortion care reflects legislators' recognition that the right to safe legal abortion would be meaningless to the vast majority of South African women who live in remote rural areas unless appropriate steps were taken to ensure their access to such services and an understanding that, by dint of their numbers and skills, this cadre of health care providers have much to offer. Though not without considerable challenges, experience from Limpopo Province demonstrates the important impact of involving midlevel providers has had in expanding the availability and accessibility of safe legal abortion.