Lack of sexual health knowledge, and contraceptives result in maximum abortions, says study

Failure to use contraceptives, or a lack of knowledge about them, among young women is the biggest cause for abortions in India, says a new study; with 80 per cent abortion stemming from contraceptive failure.

In a study of 1,381 married and unmarried women in India, Ipas, a global NGO that works for women's' sexual and reproductive rights, pointed out the frequent lack of contraceptive usage among young women aged 15 to 24.

Among those below 24 the percentage of such abortions is 79 per cent, those above 24 it goes to 82 per cent.

In a statement, Ipas Senior Director, Research and Evaluation said such figures suggest "even those young women who have exposure to modern technologies (amenities and thoughts) are not aware of sexual and reproductive health issues.'' A previous Ipas study said that more than 90 per cent young women did not have any knowledge about sex and pregnancy and a large number did not have correct knowledge on oral contraceptive pills.

For the remaining cases, the study showed that risk to life or grave injury to mother's mental and physical health accounted for 16 per cent abortions among women over 25 years of age and 18 per cent for those below 24 years. Only 1-2 per cent pregnancies were terminated for congenital abnormalities in the fetus while abortion in the case of rape survivors is negligible.

Married women had access to more information, definitely more so on abortion, than their unmarried counterparts, said the study, as they were more likely to receive it from outreach programmes while the latter from mass media. However, for both the primary means was word of mouth knowledge from friends and family.

The Ipas study feeds into data collected and studied by the centre, as both the 2014 census and the National Family Health Survey 4 (2015-2016) showed low use of contraceptives across India.

According to the Census, 94.5 per cent of women in India know about contraceptives but 50.2 per cent practice them. In Maharashtra, 95.6 per cent women know and 50.9 per cent practice. In Delhi, 95.5 per cent women know about contraceptives and 51.2 per cent practice using them. Bihar had one of the biggest gaps, with 95.3 per cent women knowing and 30.2 per cent practicing. West Bengal had the smallest gap where 95.9 per cent women know about contraceptives and 67.2 per cent practice using them.

The study pokes holes in the extent of knowledge among women, as 55 per cent of the young married participants could not correctly answer questions on abortions. Ten per cent did not know abortions are legal in India, have been for four decades.

Most worryingly, a majority of women went to private or illegal providers for abortions or other treatments regarding sexual and reproductive health, instead of government services which are free and have trained practitioners.

Worse off were women with lower levels of education and standards of living. Those with middle or secondary education and those with "a high standard of living" had better knowledge about all three issues, sex, pregnancy and abortions.