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REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROGRAM
(EBERT)
Reducing Unsafe Abortion
Community-based projects include:
- Community-based Study on Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion in Rajasthan,
India
In 2001, the Population Council began a five-year program of research and evaluation on unintended pregnancy and abortion in Rajasthan, India, conducted in partnership with a nongovernmental organization, Parivar Seva Sanstha (PSS), a Marie Stopes International local affiliate. The research project aims to evaluate a new PSS service delivery program and is also intended to add to the understanding of abortion-related behaviors in Rajasthan. Qualitative and quantitative fieldwork was conducted in 2001 with men and women in the community to document abortion prevalence rates, decisionmaking, treatment-seeking behavior, and knowledge and attitudes. In 2002, Council researchers completed fieldwork to document the availability, management, and organization of abortion services in the public and private sectors in six Rajasthan districts. Interviews with providers working in the private and public sectors (including both formal and informal providers) documented their training and/or education, standard clinical and recordkeeping practices, knowledge of abortion-related legislation, and general attitudes toward abortion. The study also highlighted barriers to government registration of clinics and certification of providers in the private sector. When linked with the community-based abortion data collected from the same districts in 2001, the study findings will provide a comprehensive assessment of abortion in those areas.
- Gender
Perspectives on Abortion
Population Council research also includes exploring men’s involvement in abortion. Council researchers conducted a study of gender perspectives on abortion in Karachi, Pakistan. The study, which used qualitative and quantitative interviews with both men and women, assessed men’s roles in and attitudes toward abortion. While the qualitative arm of the study indicated that men are often involved in and supportive of their partner’s decision to terminate a pregnancy, quantitative interviews with 500 men and 500 women suggested substantial gender differentials. For example, significantly more men than women reported spousal support of abortion.
Research Studies
| Resources / Publications |
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Gender perspectives on induced abortion: Knowledge and attitude–A community-based study in Karachi, Pakistan (2002). Increasing access to and quality of termination of pregnancy services (2002) |