Abortion In India: Vardaan

The medical termination of pregnancy due to certain circumstances, in a safe and legalized manner, is known as Abortion. It could be voluntarily or involuntarily, depending on the health of the expecting woman. An intentional or voluntary removal or extraction of a fetus from the womb of the woman is known as induced medical abortion. In India, around 15 million medical abortions occur every year as per the 2015 estimates. Globally, the number rises as high as 56 million abortions per year. This accounts for almost a fifth of the total conceptions in a year. There have been a lot of words about the ethical and social responsibilities associated with Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP). In India, the government of India in the year 1971 legalized MTP on the ground of certain circumstances. Abortions in India can be done within the 12- 24 weeks of conceiving the fetus. MTP can not be performed after the restricted period of 24 weeks and must be done after consultation with two registered medicine practitioners, in good faith and health. 

It is advisable to opt for safe abortion, after medical consultation. Safe abortion is done upon the advice of healthcare workers and by using methods recommended by WHO. To decide where to get an abortion, one should always look for legal and registered health clinics. An unsafe termination of pregnancy can cause long-term health issues in the pregnant woman. It is illegal and should be highly avoided.

Why should one go for an abortion?

It is not always that pregnancy goes as one imagined. Or that it is fancied. There are many health and emotional constraints that result in medical abortion.

1. Maternal Health

The maternal mortality rate has been always on the higher side, despite showing a decline in overall numbers. There is still a need for advanced and better maternal facilities to aid the woman during the gestation period. As per MTP Act 2017, the pregnancy can be terminated if the continuation of the same can cause detrimental effects (physical or mental) or pose risk to the life of the expecting woman.

2. Foetus Health

Induced abortion has been legalized because the life of the fetus will be at risk if it were to be born. The risk could be physical, mental, or incurable syndrome.

3. Unwanted pregnancy

This has been one of the major causes of the rising abortion cases globally. An unwanted pregnancy happens when the partners are involved in unprotected intercourse or unconsented intercourse (as in the case of rapes). One other reason for unwanted pregnancy is the failure to use contraceptives. In many teenage pregnancies, lack of adequate sex education has resulted in misuse or failure to use contraceptive methods, and also unprotected intercourse. 

How does an abortion work? 

There are WHO-recommended methods that health practitioners use to make laymen aware of the risks of safe and unsafe abortion.

1. Drugs

 Healthcare workers use drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol to induce the process of abortion within the womb of the woman. This method is a safe and non-invasive technique to induce MTP.

2. Vacuum Aspiration

 The process involves a suction method, manual or electric, to expulse out the contents of the uterine cavity, thereby terminating the pregnancy.

With changing lifestyles and dietary habits, there has been a major cause of concern among health specialists regarding maternal health during and after pregnancy. There is a need for guided awareness among the female population over safe sex and abortion. A woman who doesn't know where to get an abortion may end up with an unqualified quack and go for an unsafe, and probably fatal, abortion. 

One other factor that needs careful monitoring is female foeticide. It is illegal and should be stopped in society. Such practice is harmful to both the foetus and the mother. If a woman goes through unprotected or unconsented sex, counselling is one way to go through the period. It relieves the expecting mother of the possible mental stress and fear from society.