Over 61 lakh abortions recorded from 2014-15 till date, govt tells Lok Sabha

A total of 61,29,333 abortions have been recorded from 2014-15 till date according to data provided by states and Union Territories in the Health Management and Information System, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey told Parliament on Friday.

However, the number of illegally performed abortions is not available with the health ministry, he said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

Elaborating on the measures being taken by the government to reduce unsafe abortions outside medical facilities, Choubey said provision of comprehensive abortion care (CAC) services is an important component of the reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAH-N) programme under the government.

The National Health Mission (NHM) provides support to the states and Union Territories for various activities to promote safe abortion. Provision of comprehensive safe abortion services are available at public health facilities round the clock, where trained medical practitioners are posted, the minister said.

Comprehensive abortion care (CAC) has been developed and disseminated to the states and Union Territories, and certification of private and NGO sector facilities by district-level committees to provide quality medical termination of pregnancy (MTP) services.

Under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Rules and Regulations, 2003, monthly reporting of total number of cases of abortions in prescribed format is mandatory which is sent from MTP sites to the district authorities. The states and UTs send compiled report on MTP cases to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on quarterly basis.