Mexico City Secretariat of Health delegation visits California reproductive health programs

How do experienced clinics provide high quality abortion care? How does a major public health system gear up quickly to provide legal abortion care after abortion is legalized? In late October, Ipas hosted an unusual exchange in California to answer these questions. A high-level delegation from the Mexico City Secretariat of Health, including the Secretary, Director of Public Health Services and Director of Reproductive Health, visited the United States to visit and observe health centers that provide abortion care in San Francisco and San Diego.

In addition to representatives of the Health Secretariat, senior officials from the Secretariat for Rural Development and Equity for Communities joined the delegation, including the Secretary and the Head of Care for Migrants and their Families.

A law passed in Mexico City in April 2007 legalized abortion upon request during the first trimester. The city quickly moved to implement the new law: During the first 16 months, the public health system provided abortion care to approximately 15,000 women. On August 28, the Mexican Supreme Court upheld the Mexico City law, paving the way for other states to adopt similar laws, and further increase women's access to safe and legal abortion. As they seek to scale up and improve services in coming months, the visiting officials sought to absorb the lessons learned during the past 35 years by California providers.The Mexican delegation visited the Women's Options Center at San Francisco General Hospital and Planned Parenthood clinics of Golden Gate (San Francisco), and of San Diego and Riverside counties.

"I was enchanted with San Francisco General hospital; it is a model public health institution committed to providing respectful and high-quality legal abortion services" said Ipas Mexico Director General Raffaela Schiavon. "Women and the reality of their lives are at the center of their work, just as they are for Ipas" The hospital team's core values — respect, teamwork and excellence — resonated with the Mexico team. The Mexican delegation was also impressed by the teaching mission the clinic staff embraces and the high standard of care they offer, particularly when providing second-trimester abortion and other sensitive services.

The Mexican health authorities were keenly interested in the integral role nurses play in providing both medical and surgical abortion care. The visitors noted the small touches that help women to have a better experience, from low lights and music in the procedure room to visual materials explaining the process.

The exchange highlighted the need to develop cross-border relationships between providers, with both public and private facilities, such as Planned Parenthood. With a better understanding of the California health system, Mexican officials can provide Mexican women in the United States with information about available reproductive health services, including safe, legal abortion. The California providers were pleased to learn that the Mexico City consulate in Los Angeles could help coordinate referral and transport to Mexico, where free care is available to citizens. This option will greatly benefit Mexican women who have health conditions like uterine cancer that require advanced reproductive health care. This information would allow U.S. providers to facilitate timely and affordable care for uninsured immigrant women following early diagnosis.

Mexico City Secretary of Health Dr. Armando Ahued Ortega felt that he learned a great deal during his meetings with California health officials. “The visit opened my eyes to things I hadn’t considered before,” he said.

For more information, contact media@ipas.org