Have the relaxations in legislation related to termination of pregnancy made abortions safe in India? A meta-analysis on the prevalence of unsafe abortions among 15–49-year-old females in India

Background: Pregnancy which is not terminated within the boundaries of legal definition in India is called an unsafe abortion. Objective: To observe the proportion of unsafe abortions among total abortions in 15–49-year-old ever married women across India between 1990 and 2020. Materials and Metho...

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Main Authors: Sneha Kumari, Mitasha Singh, Shweta Goswami, Ekta Gupta, Priyanka Sharma, Vidushi Gupta, Susmita Chaudhuri, Jugal Kishore
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2022-01-01
Series:CHRISMED Journal of Health and Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.cjhr.org/article.asp?issn=2348-3334;year=2022;volume=9;issue=3;spage=164;epage=171;aulast=Kumari
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author Sneha Kumari
Mitasha Singh
Shweta Goswami
Ekta Gupta
Priyanka Sharma
Vidushi Gupta
Susmita Chaudhuri
Jugal Kishore
author_facet Sneha Kumari
Mitasha Singh
Shweta Goswami
Ekta Gupta
Priyanka Sharma
Vidushi Gupta
Susmita Chaudhuri
Jugal Kishore
author_sort Sneha Kumari
collection DOAJ
description Background: Pregnancy which is not terminated within the boundaries of legal definition in India is called an unsafe abortion. Objective: To observe the proportion of unsafe abortions among total abortions in 15–49-year-old ever married women across India between 1990 and 2020. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in National Library of Medicine's PubMed database, IndMED, TRIP, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for articles published between January 1, 1990, and February 29, 2020. A combination of medical subject headings and free text word like abortion, induced, unsafe, women 15–49 years, prevalence, and India were used. Each article was assessed for quality using Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool. The proportion of subjects classified as having unsafe abortion was the outcome of meta-analysis. Analysis was done using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2.2. All pooled estimates were calculated using DerSimonian–Laird random-effects model and reported as a proportion with 95% confidence intervals. Results: The pooled estimate of the mean prevalence of unsafe abortion in India was 37.56% (confidence interval: 20.68–54.44). There was a significant heterogeneity between the studies (I2 = 99.98% and Cochran's Q = 113538.65, df = 18, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Even after several amendments in Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 till 2020, unsafe abortions are highly prevalent in entire India, irrespective of high-performance or low-performance states. In urban India, the prevalence of unsafe abortions is comparatively higher than rural areas.
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spelling doaj.art-0d74b38b62c741d1bd900eaa166ecd3e2023-07-21T14:33:12ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsCHRISMED Journal of Health and Research2348-33342348-506X2022-01-019316417110.4103/cjhr.cjhr_110_21Have the relaxations in legislation related to termination of pregnancy made abortions safe in India? A meta-analysis on the prevalence of unsafe abortions among 15–49-year-old females in IndiaSneha KumariMitasha SinghShweta GoswamiEkta GuptaPriyanka SharmaVidushi GuptaSusmita ChaudhuriJugal KishoreBackground: Pregnancy which is not terminated within the boundaries of legal definition in India is called an unsafe abortion. Objective: To observe the proportion of unsafe abortions among total abortions in 15–49-year-old ever married women across India between 1990 and 2020. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in National Library of Medicine's PubMed database, IndMED, TRIP, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for articles published between January 1, 1990, and February 29, 2020. A combination of medical subject headings and free text word like abortion, induced, unsafe, women 15–49 years, prevalence, and India were used. Each article was assessed for quality using Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool. The proportion of subjects classified as having unsafe abortion was the outcome of meta-analysis. Analysis was done using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2.2. All pooled estimates were calculated using DerSimonian–Laird random-effects model and reported as a proportion with 95% confidence intervals. Results: The pooled estimate of the mean prevalence of unsafe abortion in India was 37.56% (confidence interval: 20.68–54.44). There was a significant heterogeneity between the studies (I2 = 99.98% and Cochran's Q = 113538.65, df = 18, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Even after several amendments in Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 till 2020, unsafe abortions are highly prevalent in entire India, irrespective of high-performance or low-performance states. In urban India, the prevalence of unsafe abortions is comparatively higher than rural areas.http://www.cjhr.org/article.asp?issn=2348-3334;year=2022;volume=9;issue=3;spage=164;epage=171;aulast=Kumariabortion at unregistered health facilityabortion by unregistered medical practitioneramendmentsindiamedical termination of pregnancy act
spellingShingle Sneha Kumari
Mitasha Singh
Shweta Goswami
Ekta Gupta
Priyanka Sharma
Vidushi Gupta
Susmita Chaudhuri
Jugal Kishore
Have the relaxations in legislation related to termination of pregnancy made abortions safe in India? A meta-analysis on the prevalence of unsafe abortions among 15–49-year-old females in India
CHRISMED Journal of Health and Research
abortion at unregistered health facility
abortion by unregistered medical practitioner
amendments
india
medical termination of pregnancy act
title Have the relaxations in legislation related to termination of pregnancy made abortions safe in India? A meta-analysis on the prevalence of unsafe abortions among 15–49-year-old females in India
title_full Have the relaxations in legislation related to termination of pregnancy made abortions safe in India? A meta-analysis on the prevalence of unsafe abortions among 15–49-year-old females in India
title_fullStr Have the relaxations in legislation related to termination of pregnancy made abortions safe in India? A meta-analysis on the prevalence of unsafe abortions among 15–49-year-old females in India
title_full_unstemmed Have the relaxations in legislation related to termination of pregnancy made abortions safe in India? A meta-analysis on the prevalence of unsafe abortions among 15–49-year-old females in India
title_short Have the relaxations in legislation related to termination of pregnancy made abortions safe in India? A meta-analysis on the prevalence of unsafe abortions among 15–49-year-old females in India
title_sort have the relaxations in legislation related to termination of pregnancy made abortions safe in india a meta analysis on the prevalence of unsafe abortions among 15 49 year old females in india
topic abortion at unregistered health facility
abortion by unregistered medical practitioner
amendments
india
medical termination of pregnancy act
url http://www.cjhr.org/article.asp?issn=2348-3334;year=2022;volume=9;issue=3;spage=164;epage=171;aulast=Kumari
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