KATHMANDU, July 18: The number of teenagers undergoing abortions after the government legalized it had been on the rise, according to the government and Sunaulo Pariwar Nepal (SPN), a non-governmental organization (NGO) which conducts more than 80 percent of abortions.
According to a data provided by the management section of the Department of Health Services 51,415 abortions were carried out in 2007-08, and 83,978 in 2008-09. Of the total 88,938 abortions in 2009/10, 23 percent of those seeking abortions were teenagers.
SPN, which provides a wide range of services on sexual and reproductive health, said more than 18,000 teenagers carried out abortions from its Marie Stopes clinics last year. There are fifty-five Marie Stopes clinics in 42 districts operated by SPN.
“Twenty-three percent abortions were carried out on youngsters aged 15 to 19,” said Pravin Shakya, a representative of SPN.
He also revealed that 30 to 50 percent of women who underwent abortions from SPN´s urban clinics were below 24 years. Thirty-seven percent of them were aged 20 to 24.
Doctors said that the figures were extremely worrying particularly because abortion could have adverse affects on the youngsters.
According to Shakya, 52 percent women among the total clients did not have proper knowledge on abortion.
However, a mini survey conducted in capital on 2010 reveals 22 percent of women who terminated their fetus from the SPN´s Marie Stopes centers have completed their bachelor degree.
Likewise 42 percent have completed + 2 and 30 percent were SLC graduates.
Similarly, 20 percent women had terminated their fetus before giving birth to their first child.
Similarly, 18 percent women said they have a child and do not need second. Thirty-three percent women who underwent abortions had two children. Fifteen percent had three children.
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