Abortion in India

Despite the legalisation of abortion in India, morbidity and mortality continue to remain a serious problem for a majority of women undergoing abortions. A lack of reliable information, wide regional and rural-urban differences and a thin research base all make it difficult for policy-makers, administrators and women's health advocates to develop strategic interventions. This article highlights issues that emerged from eight qualitative research studies that formed part of the Abortion Assessment Project - which sought to create an evidence-based body of knowledge on all facets of induced abortion. These studies have thrown up some common patterns and themes, such as the unmet needs for contraception and abortion, the question of son preference, the preference for private providers and the neglected needs of the single, widowed or separated women. More crucially, they highlight the need to integrate diverse viewpoints that would further ease progression towards the common goal of making abortion an infrequently used but safe alternative for women faced with an unwanted pregnancy.