Perception of health professions on legal abortion

Abstract

The present study examined the knowledge and the perception of health professionals of the "Hospital Materno Infantil de Brasília" (Mother and Child Hospital of Brasilia) that do not deal directly with legal abortion services as the ethical aspects involved in the Programa de Interrupção da Gestação Prevista em Lei (PIGL - Legal preganancy interrupetion Program - PIGL). The study used a qualitative-quantitative method for which the results showed ignorance about  the service and the procedures necessary for the service on the part of these. It was observed that moral, cultural and religious issues exert strong influence on the perception of the theme by health professionals who deal indirectly with the issue. The study points to the lack o PIGL diffusion associated to the stigma and prejudice involved in the theme as the main causes of this situation, indicating the continuing need for ethical training of professionals in order to qualify the care of women who use the Reference Service for Pregnancy Interruption Where Applicable by Law.