Women had to take gynecological tests when they were in high school, at the university and later. The idea was to discover any pregnancy and prevent an illegal abortion, and not to prevent a serious illness, as the communist regime claimed.

How you could get rid of an unwanted baby: jumping off a wardrobe, injecting various hormone substances, probes, medical instruments supplied illegally from abroad. (C. G., 81)

Women had various reasons for abortions. Times were not favorable to raising a child, as there was no milk, fruit, medicines, as well as no hot water and electric power. They used different methods: probe insertion and then vagina cleansing with salt or vinegar, drinking a mix made of yeast, introducing an aspirin into the vagina, lifting heavy staff, taking hot baths. (C. G., 60)

There was an women in the 80?s who received her patients in her brother?s apartment not raise suspicion and because her husband was against to what she was doing. She told women to undress and lie on the double bed in the bedroom so that she could first check whether they were pregnant or not. She made then injections with progesterone and lynestrenol to induce the period. The meeting for the actual operation took place in the patients? homes. The instrument used was the scissors, which she hid in her bag. The scenario was always the same: she pumped in bicarbonate, then sedate the woman with a few pills of Diazepam before triggering an abortion with the scissors. Heavy bleeding started and in a few hours the baby came out. The midwife left home not before asking the patient to forget her name and take a paracetamol pill every two hours for the following days, to prevent fever. Then the midwife would immediately pack her bags and leave to her sister?s in the country.

Apparently, there were gynecologists in the 80?s who performed abortions in unhealthy conditions for money. (C. G., 170)

M was 35 years old in 1980 and had a 15 year old doughtier, so she didn?t want any other children. But she married for the second time and worries began.  She got pregnant 20 times in only 9 years. Each time she had an abortion, with help from an old lady in the country. She would take the train, get to the midwife?s house, and lie down naked on the grass in the garden. ?The midwife strongly pressed my belly, until something crashed inside. Heavy bleeding started.? A few days later she would go her doctor and have curettage. She would tell him she didn?t know what had happened. (C. G., 83)

Everybody had an abortion. Nobody thought whether it was crime. They just did it. Any way, you don?t love you baby until you give birth to it. (C. G., 104)