For each legal abortion performed on girls aged 14 and under in Brazil, 11 girls were hospitalized for induced or spontaneous pregnancy loss in 2021.
Folha completed the survey with data from the Unified Health System hospital records.
Last year, there were 1,556 abortion-related hospitalizations in the 10-14 age group. Only 131 (8%) occurred for authorized causes in Brazil: rape, risk to the pregnant woman's life, and anencephaly of the fetus.
The other 1,425 admissions (92%) were due to spontaneous or induced abortions outside hospitals. The frequency was comparable to consultations for asthma (1,565) or anemia (1,397).
Authorized interventions are the minority, even though pregnancy at this age presents a high risk to the health of the pregnant woman, and legal abortion is provided for by law in cases of rape.
Also, last year, hospitals performed 1,502 emergency curettage or intrauterine aspiration procedures in patients aged 10 to 14 years.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon