Representatives from the Green and Left factions are urging the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) to immediately release the “Experiences and Living Conditions of Unintended Pregnancies – Offers of Advice and Care (ELSA)” study.
Key findings from the study were initially presented in April 2024. However, the ministry has yet to publish a final report, despite the study being commissioned in early 2021 by then-Health Minister Jens Spahn. A spokesperson for the ministry stated in response to a query from “Der Spiegel” that a specific date for the release remains undetermined, offering no details regarding the reasons for the ongoing delay.
Ulle Schauws, the Green faction’s spokesperson for women’s policy, expressed her frustration over the repeated postponement. She commented, “The final report should now essentially be a formality. The ministry’s delay in publication raises questions regarding the reasons behind this obstruction.
Similar criticism comes from Clara Bünger, a member of parliament for the Left faction. Bünger stated, “It is completely unacceptable that the Federal Ministry of Health has kept the final report of the ELSA study under wraps for months”. She pointed out that the report has been available for several months, yet the public continues to be met with vague promises of a future release. Bünger strongly urged the ministry to publish the report without further delay.
The ELSA study, reportedly funded with over four million euros, initially revealed findings that corroborate concerns raised by experts for some time. The study detailed significant barriers that women face in some German regions when seeking to terminate a pregnancy. The situation appears particularly challenging within Bavaria, a region largely governed by the CSU party.
