The health care system does not provide women with the medical services they need for prevention or early detection of typical health problems. There are no screening or prevention services for such females diseases as breast and cervical cancers. As a result, cancers, and particularly breast cancer, often reach advanced stages before they are detected. 53 per cent of the women in Poland have no access to mammography. 15 per cent do not even have access to pap smears.
Women often complain about the lack of adequate medical services.
Medical services are particularly inadequate in the countryside. The health care system does not pay sufficient attention to the health problems of girls or those of older women past the age of reproduction. Although abortion remains illegal, family planning services do not receive a sufficient share of financial support from the government. Family planning services generally are not provided in the public health care system. There are too few non-governmental family planning associations to meet all of society's needs in this respect.