Costa Rican Women Can
Now Buy Abortion Pill
Over the Internet
Women in Costa Rica
where abortion is
restricted can now use
the internet to buy the
medication enabling them
to perform abortion at
home. However, according
to new research, one in
ten need surgery
afterwards.
For 70 Euros, women in
Costa Rican can access
the website (name
withheld) and purchase
online the abortion
pill. Costa Rica is one
of the 70 countries from
where orders will be
taken.
However, abortions in
Costa Rica are illegal
and is punishable from
six months to two years
in prison.
The website states the
testimony of a Costa
Rican woman named "Gloriana"
who used the website to
order the abortion pill.
However, it is not clear
if the testimony from
Gloriana is real or made
up to spur sales in
Costa Rica.
The drug, Mifepristone,
belongs to a group of
medicines known as anti-progesterones.
Mifepristone acts by
blocking progesterone
receptors in the uterus
and this reduces the
effectiveness of the
natural hormone
progesterone.
Progesterone plays an
important role in the
maintenance of pregnancy
such as the successful
implantation of the
fertilized egg into the
wall of the uterus and
prevention of uterine
contractions during
pregnancy. By blocking
progesterone receptors
in the uterus,
mifepristone
significantly reduces
progesterone levels so
that pregnancy cannot be
maintained. Abortion may
occur solely as a result
of the actions of
mifepristone, but
surgery may also be
necessary to remove the
fetus. If required,
contraception can be
started 3 to 9 days
after taking
mifepristone.
According to the
Ministerio de Salud
(Health) officials, the
drug is available in
Costa Rica only by
medical prescription,
costing ¢80.000 colones
for 28 pills. The sale
of the drug over the
internet is totally
illegal.
The vice minister de
Salud, Lidieth Carballo,
has ordered an
investigation into the
matter, saying that no
woman should consider an
abortion, unless
therapeutic to save the
life of the mother and
that using the drug is
very risky and can
result in death.
Although health
officials are against
the sale of the drug
over the internet that
can be easily purchased
by anyone in Costa Rica
and have it delivered to
the mailbox, the problem
is that there is no
government control of
what can and cannot be
purchased over the
internet.
Rigoberto Rodríguez,
head of the Policía
Fiscal (Customs police),
believes the pill is
entering Costa Rica
camouflaged to avoid
customs controls.
|
