Legal abortions in an Indian state.
Induced abortion in India was liberalized by the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, which became effective in April 1972. Analysis of 8,073 abortions performed in the state of Karnataka between April 1972 and March 1975 indicates that abortions have increased rapidly since legalization. Age of women obtaining abortions, their family size, duration of pregnancy, and age of new contraceptors after abortion have declined, while proportions of women with less than primary education obtaining abortions and number of new contraceptors after abortion have increased. Data suggest that if there were more approved rural hospitals and a greater diffusion of information, the number of legal abortions would increase further.
D000029:Abortion, Legal; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D003267:Contraception; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors