Abortion as one aspect of Women's Health

Abstract

Women's Health is closely tied to sexuality. In the European context the European Women's Rights Movement fought for women's sexual rights and the right of women to self-determination over a woman's own body. However, there appears to still be an ongoing struggle to have such rights (e.g. abortion) reflected in legislation. In response to the article "Women's Health as an Ideological and Political Issue: Restricting the Right to Abortion, Access to In Vitro Fertilization Procedures and Prenatal Testing in Poland" (Żuk & Żuk, 2017 ), the potential influence of the Catholic Church on abortion legislation is discussed. In this connection Austria is used as example to illustrate differences in the influence of the Catholic Church in predominantly Catholic countries. Additional aspects of women's sexual and reproductive rights are included in this comment, such as access to contraceptives, emergency contraceptives, cost coverage and quality of health care. Given the development of the political situation in Europe, women's rights and Women's Health are in danger of becoming a victim of recent political developments. Thus, a close look at these matters is needed.