Women as a group require special protective measures in health care.
Gender-based discrimination occurs systematically. It also has implications for women’s health care such as:
- female patients may be diagnosed slower
- female patients my be treated less extensively than men
- clinical trials often disregard women, focusing instead on middle-aged men
- women may be subject to reproductive abuse
In order to ensure women’s reproductive health care, as well as to counter potential gender-based discrimination, the State should take additional measures to protect women’s right to health. Thus, women are one of the groups of people who have been given priority in the Estonian health care system.
Gynaecological care
The State should ensure access to gynaecological care for all females.
note In Estonia, gynaecologists are direct access specialists – you do not need a referral from a general practitioner to visit one.
Reproductive abuse and abortion
Reproductive abuse happens when a woman is not allowed to make her own decisions about her reproductive health. It can take different forms: coercion to get pregnant/give birth and limited or deprived access to contraception and abortion or forced abortion.
With regard to women’s decisions about pregnancy and abortions, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women prescribes that states ensure that all women have:
“(…) the same rights to decide freely and responsibly on the number and spacing of their children and to have access to the information, education and means to enable them to exercise these rights”;
The Termination of Pregnancy and Sterilisation Act of Estonia allows the termination of pregnancy at the woman’s request up to the 12th week of pregnancy. Before the termination of pregnancy, the health care professional must explain to the woman who wishes to terminate her pregnancy, the biological and medical nature of termination of pregnancy and the involved risks, including the potential complications.
note In Estonia, it is considered a criminal offence to conduct an abortion without the woman's consent, without legal authorization, or beyond the timeframe allowed by law.
Read more about reproductive rights in this Guide.
Read more about artificial reproduction in this Guide.
Protection before and after childbirth
Pregnant women and women who have recently given birth are entitled to special protection:
1. State-paid pregnancy care, birth assistance and post-natal care
2. prenatal and maternity leave
Read more about woman’s access to healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth.
Read more about state support mechanisms regarding pregnancy, the birth of a child and family.