Presidential 2022. Nicolas Dupont-Aignan answered questions from Aufeminin on various themes of the presidential campaign. Here are her positions on women’s health.
As the presidential election is fast approaching, Aufeminin has decided to mobilize to question the candidates for the supreme office. The first candidate to undergo the exercise is Nicolas Dupont-Aignan. The representative of Debout la France thus responded to our questionnaire which highlights various themes, little or not mentioned enough in the presidential campaign: health, education, work, women’s rights, violence against women and on their conception of the presidency.
First theme discussed with Nicolas Dupont-Aignan: health. The candidate for the succession of Emmanuel Macron takes sides for a reimbursement “100% contraception, gynecological examinations and mammography”. He also shows his willingness to give “special help” Women’s “in a situation of menstrual precariousness.” On the other hand, he shows his desire not to introduce “menstrual leave” for women, which would, according to him, “the consequence of widening the gap between men and women in the world of work.” Finally, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan affirms his desire not to extend the legal deadline for abortion and his opposition “fierce” at the GPA.
The positions of Nicolas Dupont-Aignan on health
Aufeminin: Contraception, reproduction, medical examinations, periodic protection… The cost of a woman’s sexual health is very high, how do you plan to lighten this burden?
Nicolas Dupont-Aignan: The sexual health of a woman represents a very high cost and we must ensure, for all ages, 100% reimbursement of contraception, gynecological examinations and mammography as well as special assistance for women with menstrual poverty. I want to promote information campaigns on contraception, carried out by family planning with young people in high school.
Several countries around the world, particularly in Asia, have already introduced “menstrual leave”. Is this possible in France? Do you plan to wear this measure?
Apart from certain women suffering from specific ailments (next paragraph), there is no reason to introduce menstrual leave, which would have the effect of widening the gap between men and women in the world of work.
One in 10 women suffers from endometriosis in France today. It takes an average of 6 to 10 years to be diagnosed. Will you make it a great national cause? How do you intend to improve the situation of patients?
One woman in ten suffers from endometriosis in France and it is still a disease that is too little recognized, diagnosed late and which should be subject to 100% reimbursement. The people concerned must be able to benefit from menstrual leave and for the most severe forms recognized as long-term illness (ALD).
Mental Health: The past two years have been eye-opening on the subject of mental health, especially for women. What measures will you take on this subject?
The COVID19 which imposed several periods of confinement was as harmful for women as for men, both sexes having the same need for social ties. Psychiatry is the poor relation of healthcare in France, and local psychological medical centers (CMP) must be developed so that everyone can consult without systematically going to a hospital or liberal sector, which is often very expensive.
IVG, PMA, GPA: the positions of Nicolas Dupont-Aignan
Access to abortion is sometimes complicated for some women who live in medical deserts. What solutions do you propose to facilitate their procedures?
I campaign for the end of medical deserts, thanks to the creation, on the one hand, of a health establishment (hospital, maternity, etc.) per department and, on the other hand, of a scholarship for medical students, in exchange for which they will undertake to settle in an under-resourced area for their first 5 years. With the same objective, I propose to increase the number of places in medical studies in order to reach 12,000 practitioners per year, and thus find, in the medium term, a sufficient number of doctors qualified in France throughout the territory. Moreover, the difficulty of access to abortion is not only linked to medical deserts, but also to the right of doctors to invoke the conscience clause, a provision that cannot be called into question.
Would you like the legal deadline for abortion to be extended?
I do not want the legal deadline for abortion to be extended, which is why, barring exceptions related to the health of the mother or the child, I voted against extending this deadline by 12 at 14 weeks.
More than 7 out of 10 French people are in favor of surrogacy, what is your position on this alternative method of procreation?
I am fiercely opposed to surrogacy which is a form of commodification of women’s bodies. For me, there are only children’s rights and not children’s rights.
LDCs: what will you do for women who are worried about waiting times?
The multiplication of late pregnancies is one of the sources of the growing infertility of couples; to remedy this, it is necessary to increase the number of assisted reproduction centers and above all to develop research to promote natural conception.
Many women have recently testified to obstetrical violence. How can we better protect them and help them free their voices?
Concerning obstetrical violence, mentalities have evolved and what was previously perceived as normal suffering is today considered as brutal, humiliating and sometimes useless acts (premature caesareans, useless episiotomies, hurtful remarks, etc.). This is why we must invite women to denounce these behaviors without shame.
Midwives have demonstrated several times this year. What action plan do you propose for better recognition of their status?
Finally, midwives, who are the first actors in the life of future mothers, should be recognized as medical professionals in their own right. As such, they have important responsibilities and sometimes even on the legal level, and in return they should benefit from more attractive remuneration and more human and financial means to carry out their mission.
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