Abstract

Sunita Chowdhury

This brief emphasises that the law on abortion in India will have to specify required skills instead of professional qualifications as it currently does to ensure better access to abortion for women. It was based on a cross sectional survey among 106 randomly selected obstetrics and gynaecology professionals (OGPs) in two southern districts of Kerala state, India. Abortion in India has been legalised under certain conditions specified in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act 2003. This survey found that four out of the 106 OGPs had not undergone specific training to perform MTPs as part of their graduate training. However, the act permits professionals with graduate training to provide MTPs. This raises a concern regarding providers’ ability to offer abortion services to women.