State Duma Health Committee advises against ban on abortions in private clinics

The State Duma Committee on Health Protection, the parliamentary body that advises the government on healthcare legislation, has come out against proposed legislation that would ban abortions in private clinics, Russian business daily Vedomosti reported on Sunday.

Noting that limiting abortions required “careful consideration and a balanced assessment” in order to prevent “criminal involvement”, the committee proposed introducing “a system of pre-abortion counselling”.

According to the committee, approximately 47,000 women a year — almost one in four — women in Russia who reconsider their decision to terminate a pregnancy do so after “pre-abortion counselling”.

The committee also recommended “promoting positive attitudes to reproduction in women”, raising awareness of state support and monitoring the work of private clinics.