Woman has four abortions

A 29-year-old woman, who has undergone four abortions, is calling on the government to reform the law and allow women safe access to terminate unwanted pregnancies.

Under the Offences Against the Person Act, both women and doctors risk criminal charges for abortion.

"The law is utter rubbish," she said. "People will say, why don't they protect themselves? Some people do -- and still get pregnant. So again, the laws are stupidness."

Her story offers a stark glimpse into the harsh realities faced by women in Jamaica, where abortion is illegal except when a life is at risk.

Her first pregnancy came at 14, a time when most girls are just beginning to understand the world. She felt overwhelmed, unprepared, and alone. The second came at 22, during a period of financial strain and mental exhaustion, when she was already struggling to provide for her children.

By 25, the pressures of life had only intensified. Contraceptives had failed, and she was not ready emotionally or financially for another child. When she got pregnant for a third time, the woman took the decision to abort the foetus.

"I knew I couldn't manage another child, mi never need any more child to set me back. It was hard so my mind was made up," she told THE STAR.

The procedure was done in a medical office and cost $30,000. But the money was secondary to the fear and anxiety of what could happen if she didn't act.

"My first time, I was scared. Growing up you hear you can dead doing it or have complications. I felt nervous. It didn't feel safe, and the procedure didn't feel safe. But at the same time, I wanted to do it," she recalled.

The next three abortions were done at home with pills, cheaper at $17,500, but far riskier. One of those attempts left her thinking she would die.

"I remember one I did at home and I messed up the place. I mean poo. When I was to get up off the bed to go the bathroom it was all over. I thought something was wrong and I was going to die. It was really painful and I was scared."

Her decisions were not made lightly.

"Why should a woman bring a child into poverty? A 9-5 can't take care of everything in the household and the government do not help, so the law is utter rubbish," she said.

In 2018, member of parliament for St Andrew West Rural, Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn, tabled a motion in the House of Representatives for the Government to consider relaxing the abortion laws to ensure that women have access to safe abortions. However, the law remains unchanged.

The woman argued that women seek abortions for many reasons and, like her, they will always find a way.

"Some sleep with people man, some not ready, some don't want to have a child as a teenager, some not financially stable. It easy to find a clinic. For me, I just asked around. Somebody always know somebody," she said.