In 2023, Doctors for Choice reported that nearly 500 women in Malta received abortion pills through a telemedicine service, marking a 16% increase from the previous year.
This continues a trend of growing demand for such services provided by Women on Web and Women Help Women. However, the actual number of abortions in Malta is likely higher, as it doesn’t include those who travel abroad or access pills through other means.
424 women in Malta received abortion pills at home in 2022, with 2021 registering a total of 356. 2020 saw a total of 289, and 2019 a total of 128. Over the past 5 years, the demand grew fivefold.
Doctors for Choice emphasized that terminating pregnancies with abortion pills at home, up to 12 weeks, is deemed safe by reputable medical organizations like the World Health Organization.
They argued against criminalizing women for seeking abortions, highlighting Malta’s strict anti-abortion laws, which were slightly amended last year to allow abortion only if a woman’s life is at risk.
Pro-choice activists criticized these amendments, stating they fail to address various scenarios, including cases of medical complications like that of Andrea Prudente, who had to be airlifted to Spain for an abortion.
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