Page 50 - English Tehelka Issue 12 - June 30, 2018

health

Need to pay attention to remained the same. Stakeholders have India. Women with unwanted preg- partners. Women are discouraged from

nancies, in rural and semi-urban ar-
struggled to take the common man in
using temporary contraception by their
India’s illegal abortions to the fold and operationalise the act in eas, are often hesitant to go to doctors own peers. Male contraception is rarely
due to family pressure and privacy is-
used and even more inconsistent in
a way that provides women to control
over their own reproductive choices
sues. Midwives, quacks and unqualified steady relationships. The condom usage
in India is a dismal 5 per cent. As Nina
and rights. Religious, social and cultural RMPs use unsafe methods to induce
issues, in addition to rampant miscon- abortions such as insertion of sticks and puts it, “ Men only use condoms when
ceptions, restrict the use of contracep- roots, ingestion of herbal medicines, they have a fear of getting a disease like
Over 75 per cent abortions estimated to occur in India annually are done bereft of health facilities tion. Out of an annual estimate of 48.1 abortifacient drugs, abdominal mas- AIDS. Why would they use it with their
and around 5-7 per cent abortions that are done outside licensed facilities use other methods that are million pregnancies, half are unintend- sage and incomplete D&Cs in unhy- wives or girlfriends?”
Over the last decade, Indian courts
possibly dangerous. The figure may be higher as non-institutionalised abortions cannot be recorded. ed and a third of them result in abor- gienic conditions. It can lead to sepsis/ have issued several notable judgements
tions. Only obstetricians and gynaecol-
infection, which if left untreated may
The situation is even worse for single and divorced women and those living in rural regions, ogists, just over 34,000 nationally, can even cause death. Other side effects are recognising women’s reproductive
provide abortions. Thus the number of internal haemorrhage, injuries to vital rights as a part of the ‘inalienable sur-
reports subhangi singh approved abortion providers in India organs and future infertility. We often vival rights’, implicitly protected under
A counter medical abortion (MA) pills due to abortions these landmark judgements recognise
get critical cases with ruptured uteri
the fundamental right to life. Some of
dozen women are sit -
gone bad but some of these unmar-
these rights as essential for equality of
without prescription, they are easily
ting around a lavish living
room in Chandigarh, full
available due to lack of proper verifica-
ried young girls still refuse to admit that women and urged them to have great-
er autonomy and powers of decision-
of bubbling chatter and
tion by small chemist shops and ease
cocktail flutes. A gripping
of distribution from unlicensed sourc-
game called ‘Never Have I Ever’ is in full es. According to a study published in making concerning their pregnancies.
In 2014, some much-needed amend-
swing. Nina (name changed) raises her the Lancet, MA pills accounted for over India was one of the ments were proposed for the MTP Act.
glass and declares, “Never have I ever 80 per cent of all abortions in 2015. Alas! they were sent back for revision
had an abortion!” The room suddenly These pills, though safe for terminat- earliest countries and are still stuck under the prover-
falls silent and everybody, except Nina, ing early pregnancies under proper that legalised bial red tape. Laws to prevent pre-natal
takes a sip from their respective glasses. medical guidance, can be considered sex selection (PCPNDT Act) and sexual
It is a kitty party. Most of the women are illegal and unsafe. Impetuous and abortions. In offences against minors (POSCO Act)
married. The conversation invariably recurrent usage of MA pills can lead fact, the Medical have outdated clauses that often lead
veers towards recurrent abortions in to incomplete abortions, infections to confusion, interference and harass-
married and divorced women. Nina as well as future infertility. More than Termination of ment of genuine medical and pharma-
whispers that Shehnaz (name changed) 75 per cent of the 15.6 million abortions Pregnancy Act, 1971, ceutical practitioners, who are becom-
tops the list as “she keeps having these estimated to occur in India annually ing increasingly reluctant to provide
abortions now and then.” are done outside of health facilities and legalised abortion abortion services.
Shehnaz is a 36-year-old married half of them are unsafe. Around 5-7 per The lack of awareness and sensitisa-
woman with two young kids. She sighs, cent abortions done outside licensed up to 20 weeks tion amongst Indian women regard-
“I had both my kids within the first facilities use other methods that are ing their reproductive rights, social
three years of my marriage. We did not possibly dangerous. They result in 9 stigma, complicated and outdated
want any more kids but my husband per cent of all maternal deaths in India. they have been sexually active.” laws, governmental ignorance and
does not like condoms. The third time The actual figure may be higher as non- The patriarchal mindset results in shortage of licensed abortion provid-
I got pregnant, I visited a local gynae- institutionalised abortions cannot be preference of the male child. Despite ers have led to illegal and unsafe abor-
cologist who prescribed me an abortion recorded. The situation is even worse crackdowns on potential offenders, tion methods threatening to become a
kit called Unwanted. After that, when- for single/divorced women and those quacks and midwives often use unre- pandemic that can easily be prevented.
ever I get pregnant, I just go to a chemist in rural regions. stantial risk’, etc. In India, where female is too low compared to the number of liable methods to predict the sex of an As we join hands with the world to de-
and buy the same kit, using the old pre- India was one of earliest countries sexuality is controlled, stigmatised and women in need. Moreover, these prac- unborn child, thus leading to unsafe mand amendments in Irish abortion
scription. It’s easier and no-one gets to to legalise abortion. The Medical Termi- exists supplementary to male sexuality, titioners are mostly concentrated in abortions in case of unfavourable news. laws after the tragic death of Dr Savita
know. I don’t want to create discord in nation of Pregnancy Act, 1971, legalised a woman bears the burden of explain- urban areas. So women are compelled Indian women, who often lack financial Halappanavar, maybe it is time to look
the house by haggling over such trivial abortions up to 20 weeks but the law ing how carrying a pregnancy to term to approach illegal, unqualified provid- freedom and/or authority in a house- inwards at our own abortion laws. We
issues.” Shehnaz has not kept count of left the onus on the opinion of licensed may harm her physical/mental health. ers, thereby endangering their lives and hold, rarely have the right to choose need to introspect as a society whether
the number of abortions she has had. medical practitioners. Sadly, they can So a woman cannot simply demand an health. their own reproductive future. In a so- we are ready to give our women true
This is a sad reality in India, where be judgmental as a part of a skewed abortion. Such a law does not affirm a According to Dr Shefali Wadhwani ciety where talking about sex is a big equality by recognising their absolute
abortion is used as the go-to method to society. Moreover, the MTP Act fails to woman’s reproductive rights. Sharma, a gynaecologist at GMCH, taboo and child-bearing is considered right to reproductive choice and hence
space out children or even as a casual define terms like ‘abortion’, ‘miscar- During the last four decades, despite Chandigarh, ”Low acceptability of ex- a woman’s responsibility, most men are their own bodies.
alternative to generic contraception. riage’, ‘termination of pregnancy’, ‘med- technological advancements and ease plicit contraception means that illegal reluctant to get involved in maternal
Despite a ban on the sale of over the ical & surgical abortion’, ‘health’, ‘sub- of abortion procedures, the law has abortions are still rampant in rural health and reproductive issues of their letters@tehelka.com
tehelka / 30 june 2018 50 www.tehelka.com tehelka / 30 june 2018 51 www.tehelka.com

50-51 Subhangi Singh.indd 2 16/06/18 12:26 PM 50-51 Subhangi Singh.indd 3 16/06/18 12:27 PM