Abortion is a crime in our country but it is legal in Pakistan and Islamic scholars agree on its permissibility in certain conditions,many medical professionals term it an "un-Islamic act" and refuse treatment to women, compelling them to seek help from untrained people and risk their lives.
According to estimates, about 890,000 induced abortions are carried out every year in the country, Dawn News reported.
Leading doctors have said the procedure -- contrary to the general perception that it is sought by unmarried women -- is wanted by married women with four to five children, who consider abortion an "easier family planning tool" rather than using contraceptives.
The gender inequality is a major reason of concern in our country but even after considering the abortion legal there is no talk on the issues like this.In a survey this has been confirmed that 30,000 women died every year in Pakistan because of pregnancy-related complications. The maternal mortality rate was about 276 per 100,000 live births.
Complications of miscarriages and abortions accounted for 10 to 12 percent of maternal deaths, while one out of six pregnancies was terminated by induced abortion through a risky method.About 37 percent of all abortions in the country were conducted by unskilled traditional birth attendants, he said.Referring to a report in a foreign publication, he said that around 75,000 women who tried to abort pregnancies by inserting different objects into their bodies died every year worldwide.
The US has a high rate of unplanned pregnancies -- 49 percent. Of those, 42 percent ended in abortion, 19 percent of abortions were among teenagers, 67 percent of women who sought abortions were unmarried and almost half of American women had terminated at least one pregnancy.
The country's laws permits that abortion could be done to save a life, but that Islamic scholars permit the procedure to be carried out within 120 days of pregnancy.It is still a taboo for the habitats of Pakistan.
with inputs of http://dawn.com/
