Medical termination of pregnancy on a rise in Mumbai
14 May, 2015Reply to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed that in the city of Mumbai, the number of Medical termination of pregnancies has increased over the years. The data further shows that the procedure has become safer over the years.
2011-12: 17,309 abortions in which deaths were 23
2012-13: 27,256 abortions in which deaths were 8
2013-14: 30,117 abortions in which deaths were 3
2014-15: 30,472 abortions in which deaths were nil
As per the BMC data collated from all licensed Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) centres nearly 1,600 medical termination of pregnancy in 2014-15 were below the age of 19. The information provided further shows that the number of abortions in the age group of below 15 years has shown an increase of 67 % in 2014-15 over the previous year. In 2013-14, 111 girls below the age of 15 had undergone an abortion which rose to 185 in the subsequent year. The jump in the number of teenage abortions is a matter of concern as many cases go unreported due to private centres not reporting them. The possible causes of the rise in medical termination of pregnancies are:
· Failure of contraceptives was the most important reason with nearly 75 % stating it.
· Danger to mother’s life or abnormalities in the child.
· Lack of sex education in schools and junior colleges leading to ignorance and curiosity.
· Better and more accurate reporting.
· Exploitation of young girls
· Prevalence of under-age marriages in Indian society.
Rape as the reason for pregnancy.