Legal, but unsafe abortions kill 2 women every hour in India

India is already mired by controversial abortion laws. Add to it, the lack of knowledge and skills required for the procedure, indicating not just a staggering infrastructure, but also the need for reformation in the existing ones. Ironically, abortions are legal in the land for the past 46 years, but almost 60% of the procedures are unsafe. Incidentally, the figure is closer to the countries where abortion is illegal.

A study conducted by WHO, in coordination with Guttmacher Institute, shows that 62 countries with highly restrictive abortion policies have 75% unsafe abortions as compared to 13% in 57 countries that have relaxed abortion regulations.

Ipas Development Foundation executive director Vinoj Manning, speaking to the Times of India, said, “To reverse this, India must take major policy and programmatic action. The government needs to urgently take forward the proposed amendments to the MTP Act.”