According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) there were 36,700 teenage abortions in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai in 2005-06. Society’s changing face is being reflected here. Says gynaecologist, Dr Suman Kher, “There’s a change in the attitude of teenage girls who get pregnant. Earlier, they would be nervous and worried. But now, they don’t hesitate to go for an abortion and be upfront about it.”
A secret mission
So, there’s a rise in teenage abortions, and abortion clinics are flourishing. Not only that, it’s easy for teenagers to keep the pregnancy and abortion a secret even from their own parents (as is evident from the instances described). In such a scenario, how does the government plan to collect data and ensure that abortions are registered by the clinics?
Abortions abroad
In the UK, if an under-16 girl wants an abortion, and two doctors give their consent for the same, then she can go ahead without her parents’ involvement. In many states of the US, to prevent an unwanted pregnancy from turning dangerous, young women are given access to confidential counselling, contraception and abortion services. But, in India, there’s no dearth of quacks willing to do the job. Says Dr Sunita Varma, gynaecologist, Max Healthcare, “If you don’t respect the girls’ right to privacy, they’ll just go to a quack.”
The legal loophole
While it’s fine to debate whether a 12-year-old girl deserves privacy in this issue, it’s equally valid to ask whether parents have the right to know if their teenage daughter is about to take life-impacting steps. But the issue at hand, after the minister announced her intentions, is that when even the parents often don’t know when their teenage daughter undergoes an abortion, how will this reality check be enforced, if at all? Who will initiate the ‘registration’? The girl? Her parents? Or the clinics that have no qualms in doing whatever’s demanded so long as there’s money to be made? And they have a legal escape zone too.
Informs Rebecca John, High Court lawyer, “According to the MTP Act, under Section 3 (4), girls below 18 need parental consent to get an abortion. But, it they don’t, it’s still not a legal offence. So, you can’t punish anyone. And that’s a big loophole.”
A CASE STUDY
Neha (name changed), aged 16, walks into Malviya Nagar’s Sarthak Medical Center to meet the resident gynaecologist. She poses as a pregnant teenager, who wants an abortion. Her motive is to find out how easy is it for a teenager in Delhi to get abortion. “When I walked into this clinic, I didn’t feel guilty or uncomfortable. It seemed so casual. There were more young girls like me. All of them were in the age group of 17-21 years. All of them had come with friends. I was nervous. The doctor called me, asked: “Have you done a home pregnancy test?” Yes, I replied. All she said was: “We’ll do your abortion if the foetus is not more than 27 days old, it can be ruptured using tablets. We’ll have to show your age as 18. This method is fast, simple and easy. And you don’t even need to tell your parents about it.” Cost: Rs 2700
Later, Neha visits Marie Stopes Clinic in Lajpat Nagar. The doctor was away, but the consultant executive speaks to her. She’s asked: “Why did this happen, didn’t use precautions? What’s the boy’s reaction, are you in a long-term or short-term relationship?” Then comes this, “The tablet will work if your pregnancy is not more than 49 days. Else, we need to do surgery and it will cost Rs 1350. We get seven cases of teenage pregnancies in a week, so don't worry. You can bring a friend to sign the form. If you don’t want your parents to know, it’s fine. Your secret is safe with us.”
For Neha, the experience has been an eye-opener: “Girls walk into abortion centres like they walk into a beauty parlour. I was shocked, nobody asked me to get my parents or guardians. Instead, I was told the procedure would be easy.”
CONCERNED SPEAK
My main concern is the health of the girls. Abortions are legal in our country. But, teenage abortions need parental guidance. I’ve been misunderstood, I’m not going to ban abortions. That’ll have huge implications. The girls will go and kill themselves or go to quacks. I just want more awareness of the fact that abortions can have a huge impact on one’s health.”
- Renuka Chowdhury, Women and Child Development minister
“Renuka’s plan shouldn’t be very harsh, as it might lead to a rise in the number of quack abortion clinics. At the same time, girls shouldn’t be given the right to destroy their bodies.”
- Nalini Singh, activist and mediaperson
source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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