Abortions in Lüneburg: Women fight for quick help!

Abortions in Lüneburg: Women fight for quick help!

Lüneburg.The experiences of women who decide to have an abortion in Germany are often characterized by uncertainty and difficulties. Julia Meiner, 19 years old, describes her shock when she held a positive pregnancy test in her hand. “That doesn’t fit into my life at all right now, that was the first thing I thought,” said the young woman.

In 2022, over 100,000 abortions were registered in Germany, around 250 of them in Lüneburg. Corinna Heider-Treybig from Pro Familia has observed over the course of her 20 years of work that medical care in Lüneburg is inadequate. “In Lüneburg there are only two facilities that carry out demolitions, while other cities like Uelzen offer more options,” she said.

Difficulties of women

The infrastructural problems in the city mean that many women have difficulty getting timely appointments for their treatment. Many of them are forced to travel to other cities, sometimes even to Hamburg. “Some women don’t speak German, can’t afford transport or don’t have anyone to pick them up after the procedure,” explains Heider-Treybig.

The mandatory advice that more than 350 women in Lüneburg receive every year often seems to be a form of preliminary decision. Alena Guzy from Donum Vitae confirms: “When they come to us, most of those affected have already made a decision.” Marie List, 39 years old, reported on her negative experience at a clinic where she was confronted with feelings of guilt by employees. A gynecologist from Lüneburg says that although medical abortions have been offered in the city since September 2023, it is politically unacceptable for only one practice to carry them out.

Lena Meese, 31, described her worries caused by long waiting times for an appointment at the local clinic. "I had to travel to Hanover for my abortion. That wasn't ideal because I didn't want a surgical procedure," she remembers.

Challenges for medical facilities

Prof. Peter Dall, chief physician at the Lüneburg Women's Clinic, confirmed that women often have to wait longer for an appointment. "The high utilization is due to our specialization in cancer. Urgent examinations have priority," said Dall. However, no woman who wants an abortion is turned away.

One requirement to improve the situation is higher compensation for terminations. A gynecologist, who remained anonymous, explained that the remuneration in Lower Saxony was significantly lower compared to Hamburg. This means that some practices carry out fewer abortions, which further increases the supply problem. “This is untenable, not enough practices have the opportunity to offer this,” she emphasized.

In summary, the situation with abortion care in Lüneburg is tense, which presents women in difficult life situations with additional hurdles. Proposals to decriminalize abortion could lead to an improvement in the future. A commission of experts is already recommending a change in the law, but the federal government has not yet announced any concrete steps.

*The real names of the people interviewed are known to the editors. For more information, see the detailed post on www.landeszeitung.de.