Abortion legalization, teen sexual and reproductive health behaviors, and women’s empowerment in South Africa
Abstract Restrictive abortion laws in many African nations are associated with risks such as unsafe procedures and teenage motherhood. This study examines how abortion legalization influences sexual and reproductive health and women’s empowerment in South Africa, using a difference-in-differences de...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-025-01034-7 |
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| author | Getrude Njokwe Yoko Kijima |
| author_facet | Getrude Njokwe Yoko Kijima |
| author_sort | Getrude Njokwe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Restrictive abortion laws in many African nations are associated with risks such as unsafe procedures and teenage motherhood. This study examines how abortion legalization influences sexual and reproductive health and women’s empowerment in South Africa, using a difference-in-differences design. Analyzing variations in birth cohorts and access to health care facilities with abortion services across provinces, the study finds no direct causal impact of the abortion policy on teenage motherhood, fertility rates, early sexual debut, high school completion, or college attendance, though negative associations with teenage motherhood and fertility rates and positive associations with early sexual debut, high school completion, and college attendance, were observed. The study suggests that limited access to health care facilities with abortion services and cultural taboos contribute to underreporting of behaviors. Given these findings, we recommend prioritizing access to contraception and creating supportive environments for adolescent girls living in vulnerable situations, including improved access to health care facilities that offer abortion services. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1092b55dd0f14f0bb863a8c9a8233285 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2072-1315 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-1092b55dd0f14f0bb863a8c9a82332852025-08-24T11:35:44ZengBMCJournal of Health, Population and Nutrition2072-13152025-08-0144111210.1186/s41043-025-01034-7Abortion legalization, teen sexual and reproductive health behaviors, and women’s empowerment in South AfricaGetrude Njokwe0Yoko Kijima1University of PretoriaNational Graduate Institute for Policy StudiesAbstract Restrictive abortion laws in many African nations are associated with risks such as unsafe procedures and teenage motherhood. This study examines how abortion legalization influences sexual and reproductive health and women’s empowerment in South Africa, using a difference-in-differences design. Analyzing variations in birth cohorts and access to health care facilities with abortion services across provinces, the study finds no direct causal impact of the abortion policy on teenage motherhood, fertility rates, early sexual debut, high school completion, or college attendance, though negative associations with teenage motherhood and fertility rates and positive associations with early sexual debut, high school completion, and college attendance, were observed. The study suggests that limited access to health care facilities with abortion services and cultural taboos contribute to underreporting of behaviors. Given these findings, we recommend prioritizing access to contraception and creating supportive environments for adolescent girls living in vulnerable situations, including improved access to health care facilities that offer abortion services.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-025-01034-7Abortion legalizationFertilitySchoolingAdolescentDifference-in-differenceSouth Africa |
| spellingShingle | Getrude Njokwe Yoko Kijima Abortion legalization, teen sexual and reproductive health behaviors, and women’s empowerment in South Africa Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition Abortion legalization Fertility Schooling Adolescent Difference-in-difference South Africa |
| title | Abortion legalization, teen sexual and reproductive health behaviors, and women’s empowerment in South Africa |
| title_full | Abortion legalization, teen sexual and reproductive health behaviors, and women’s empowerment in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Abortion legalization, teen sexual and reproductive health behaviors, and women’s empowerment in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Abortion legalization, teen sexual and reproductive health behaviors, and women’s empowerment in South Africa |
| title_short | Abortion legalization, teen sexual and reproductive health behaviors, and women’s empowerment in South Africa |
| title_sort | abortion legalization teen sexual and reproductive health behaviors and women s empowerment in south africa |
| topic | Abortion legalization Fertility Schooling Adolescent Difference-in-difference South Africa |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41043-025-01034-7 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT getrudenjokwe abortionlegalizationteensexualandreproductivehealthbehaviorsandwomensempowermentinsouthafrica AT yokokijima abortionlegalizationteensexualandreproductivehealthbehaviorsandwomensempowermentinsouthafrica |