REQUISITES FOR SAFE & LEGAL ABORTIONS IN INDIA
It is essential for couples who are looking for abortion centres/clinics for termination of unwanted pregnancy that the centre/clinics must be an approved place for medical termination of pregnancy under section 4 of The Medical Termination of Pregnancy [MTP] Act, 1971. The said centre/clinic must have a “Registration Certificate” for termination of pregnancy provided by the Office of The Chief District Medical Officer of that particular district. It also needs to be checked whether the said centre/clinic is permitted to terminate the pregnancy up to 12 weeks or 24 weeks. The Centre/Clinic should have a sterile Operation Theatre, qualified doctors and the procedure should be done under safe and hygienic conditions. The patient must be briefed properly about both the procedures of termination of pregnancy ie Medical Method and Suction Method. The Medical Method can be opted by the patient up to 7 weeks and after that Suction Method has to be done. The ID proof for verification and written consent of the pregnant women is essential before termination of pregnancy under section 4 (b) of the Act for both the procedures. The Centre/Clinic has to do basic blood tests & ultrasound scan of the patient before termination of pregnancy.
The counselling and procedure done at unregistered place or by quacks or unqualified person may cost the life of the patients and she may suffer from severe complications like life threatening bleeding, uterine rupture, permanent infertility and sometimes death may also occur. Unsafe & Illegal Abortions are the true reality of India. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s State of the World Population Report 2022, unsafe abortions are the third leading cause of maternal mortality in India and nearly eight women die from causes related to unsafe abortions every day. Between 2007 and 2011, 67 percent of abortions in India were deemed unsafe.
Thus, it is essential to choose the right abortion centre/clinic and the same should have valid registration certificate for termination of pregnancy given by Government of India.