Reports from South Africa say health authorities are being inundated with telephone calls from women seeking to have pregnancies terminated as the country's abortion law is challenged in the High Court.

The women are concerned that the court -- currently hearing an appeal against the law by church groups -- may agree to a request for an interim judgment temporarily suspending abortions nationwide.

Currently South African women are allowed abortions on request during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy; nearly thirty thousand have taken advantage of the law since it was adopted in February last year.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service
 

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