Couples find abortion way out of recession blues

By Sheena Shafia

Economic recession seems to be forcing couples into resorting to desperate measures, including abortion to tide over the crisis.

In the wake of slowdown and job losses, several women are getting their foetuses aborted in a bid to lessen their “economic burden”. Gynaecologists working in corporate hospitals in the city are getting an increasing number of cases since last month mostly seeking contraceptive advice or medical termination of pregnancy (MTP).

Interestingly, most persons seeking advice and going for MTP are from the software sector, they said.

“Earlier, the reasons for abortion were different. It used to be either contraception failure or an unwanted pregnancy. But now, it is ‘I cannot afford a child right now,’ phenomenon,” Dr A Manjula Anagani of Care Hospital told TOI.

Narrating a recent case, Dr Manjula said, a couple, both software professionals, got their eight-week pregnancy aborted as one of them got a pink slip. “When they had approached me, they were very sure they wanted a baby. Soon after one of them lost job, they came back and asked for MTP. I tried to convince her since she was 28 years old and any further delay would only make it difficult for her to conceive. She said she will try after a couple of years. We cannot do more than this,” Dr Manjula, who saw three such cases in the last 15 days, said.

Even more startling is the fact that some corporate firms are demanding undertaking from woman employees that they would not take maternity leave for a specific period of time.

Dr V Janaki, a gynaecologist at Niloufer Hospital and Image Hospital, said, “A feeling of insecurity and fear of losing jobs has crept in among the young workforce. I got cases wherein women told me that they signed bonds with companies for a specific period that they would not be taking maternity leave.”

“If just one partner is slogging it out to make ends meet, the men are insisting on their wives going in for MTP. Though we tried counselling them that the economic slowdown could be a temporary phenomenon, they are not ready to listen,” Dr Janaki added.

Talking to HNN, a woman, who had MTP recently, said, “I was sacked recently. Moreover, my husband had to settle for a pay cut to retain his job. Having a four-yearold child, I wanted to go in for the second one. But due to the present uncertainties, we are barely able to meet our present needs.”