“We want to make sure that every woman who wants to have an abortion can have one safely.”
The Dutch nonprofit Women on Web will provide free medical abortions to women in countries affected by the Zika epidemic where access to abortion is restricted.
Women on Web is a reproductive health group founded 10 years ago that provides health information, consultations with doctors, contraceptives, and safe medical abortions at little to no cost.
A medical abortion is a non-surgical option for terminating a pregnancy in the first trimester. It involves the use of medications mifepristone and misoprostol and has been shown to be effective in pregnancies up to nine weeks.
John Vizcaino / Reuters / Via pictures.reuters.com
The Zika epidemic in South and Central America was recently declared a global health emergency as it coincides with a rise in babies born with microcephaly.
Microcephaly is a condition where a fetus' brain stops growing so the baby is born with brain damage and an abnormally small head.
Scientists believe that infection with Zika at some point during a pregnancy may be to blame for the birth defects, and in response, the CDC issued an alert warning pregnant women traveling to 28 countries.
Leo Correa / AP / Via buzzfeed.com
Health officials in some countries are even urging women to avoid pregnancy altogether for up to two years.
However, many women in Zika-affected countries have little access to family planning and abortion services to prevent unwanted pregnancies due to legal or financial barriers.
Nyvltart / Getty Images / Via thinkstockphotos.com
As a result, Women On Web plans to mail free medical abortions to women who are less than nine weeks into a pregnancy and have a Zika infection.
"After the news about Zika and the connection with microcephaly, we noticed there were increased consultations from affected countries," director and founder of Women on Web, Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, told BuzzFeed Health. However, many of the women affected by Zika do not have the money to cover the usual 70 to 90 euro suggested donation.
"It's a public health emergency and finances should never be an obstacle to prevent an unwanted, risky pregnancy," Gomperts said.
In a statement, Women on the Web said it would offer free medical abortions to pregnant women who send in their laboratory result indicating Zika infection.
Salvador Melendez / AP / Via apimages.com