Neoliberal reforms and privatisation of reproductive health services in post-socialist Poland

    Authors

    J. Mishtal

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Reprod. Health Matters

    Keywords

    reproductive health services; family planning services; privatisation; abortion law and policy; health policy and programmes; Poland; CARE; CORRUPTION; POLITICS; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

    Abstract

    The fall of state socialism in Poland in 1989 constituted a critical moment which redefined policies on reproductive health care and access to family planning, influenced by the renewed power of the Catholic church. Poland also embarked on neoliberal economic reforms that resulted in major cutbacks in social services and state health care coverage. The confluence of the elimination of contraceptive subsidies, privatisation of health care, and the intensification of bribes to underpaid health care providers created new challenges for women in accessing services. Furthermore, the 1993 ban on abortion resulted in a nearly total privatisation of this service, which is currently available clandestinely at a high price. Drawing on anthropological research in the Gdansk metropolitan region in 2007, this paper examines the restrictions on access to family planning, abortion, maternity care, assisted reproduction and other gynaecological services. It draws attention to the urgent need for state-subsidised family planning and other reproductive health services, the reform of abortion law, and regulation of privatised services. Higher wages for public sector health professionals and better public health provision would curb informal payments. The state should support the legitimacy of women's health needs and reproductive and sexual autonomy. (C)2010 Reproductive Health Matters. All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Reproductive Health Matters

    Volume

    18

    Issue/Number

    36

    Publication Date

    1-1-2010

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    56

    Last Page

    66

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000286356500006

    ISSN

    0968-8080

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