Aspectos Legales y Éticos de la Interrupción del Embarazo en el Distrito Federal

Abstract

Voluntary abortion, (women´s free willed decision to interrupt pregnancy), due to de the moral, ethical and religious aspects involve in it, has always been a bioethical dilemma. The arguments given by women involve, range from economical aspects to arguments regarding lack of maturity and/or skills to give birth and raise a child, and a broken project of life. As so, we face a bioethical dilemma that has opposite moral judgments, (people in favor and others considering it as a murder) and is, per se, a multifactorial problem when it comes out to discuss the meaning p sexual and reproductive rights. In 2007 Mexico´s City Penal and Health Laws were amended, allowing voluntary abortion since the day of conception up 12 weeks of pregnancy. As a result of these amendments, Mexico’s Federal Government promoted complain in the Supreme Court of Justice regarding the illegal and anti constitutional basis of both reforms. After a general debate in which the opinion of lawyers, bioethicist, scientists, member of different government and non government associations and institutions, women and political parties was Heard and taken into account; the Supreme Court of Justice confirmed, in April 2008, the constitutional basis of the amendments in both legislations. Since April 2007 and up to January 2011, 55175 legal abortions have been made in Mexico City