‘High abortion rate due to unwanted pregnancy’

Information shared by experts at the seminar Modern women, independent in lifeorganized by the Vietnam Women’s Newspaper on September 25 in Hanoi, in response to World Contraception Day. The program aims to raise public awareness about reproductive health care, helping women take the initiative in pregnancy and childbirth according to plan.

Figures from the Ministry of Health show that more than 53% of abortions are unintended pregnancies, as many women do not have access to safe contraception. Among adolescents alone, there are about 3,000 additional teenage abortions each year in public health facilities. The actual number could be much higher, as abortions are performed in private facilities.

In particular, a study by doctors at the Central Obstetrics Hospital and Hanoi Medical University published in 2023 also showed that the number of minors having abortions doubled compared to the previous decade, increasing from 0.4 to 1%. Many were only 12 years old, having abortions when the fetus was already large.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Hong Minh, former Director of the Center for Reproductive Health and Family Planning, Central Obstetrics Hospital, assessed that there are currently many solutions to help women prevent pregnancy such as condoms, pills… However, the abortion rate due to unwanted pregnancy is still very high, especially in many cases where contraceptive methods are used but fail.

“Women’s lack of information and knowledge about reproductive health and modern contraceptive methods can lead to ineffective or non-use of contraceptives,” said Dr. Minh, adding that misconceptions, lack of cooperation from partners, and pressure from family and the community are also causes of this situation.

Unwanted pregnancies lead to increased abortion rates, according to Dr. Minh. Unsafe abortions leave many consequences, such as missed abortions causing hemorrhage. Cervical tears due to rough, improper techniques can cause infection, and in more severe cases can be life-threatening.

At the seminar, Dr. Tran Thi Lan Huong, Medical Director of Bayer Vietnam, also acknowledged that unwanted pregnancies can disrupt life, affect careers and pose potential health risks to both mother and baby when not prepared. This also has a major impact on the overall development of society.

Experts assess that education on reproductive and sexual health still has many gaps and has not kept up with the needs and actual situation of young people. Access to information, knowledge provision and practical skills training on reproductive health for this group are still limited. Therefore, we should not stop at sex education. Activities to promote safe sex, use of contraceptives, increase access to early reproductive health care services and safe abortion also need to be promoted.

In July, the Ministry of Health asked for opinions from agencies on the draft Law on Population, which proposed strict management of abortion in general and abortion services in particular to reduce the rate of abortion, unsafe abortion, improve women’s health and population quality. The goal is to reduce by 2/3 the number of adolescents and young people with unwanted pregnancies by 2030.

Le Nga