Abortion in Russia

Abortion in Russia is currently legal up to the 12th week of pregnancy.^{[citation needed]} In 1920, Russia became the first country in the world to allow abortion in all circumstances, but, over the course of the 20th century, the legality of abortion changed more than once, with a ban being enacted again from 1936 to 1954. Russia has the highest number of abortions per woman of child-bearing age in the world according to UN data. However, in terms of the total number, China has reported that it has over 13 million annual abortions, far surpassing the 1.3 million annual abortions Russia has., and India has an estimated 11 million, although accurate data is difficult to obtain.

History

Prior to the October Revolution of 1917, Russian law considered abortion to be homicide, and it was punishable by a 4 to 5 year jail term with the loss of civil rights. The punishment was reduced to 3 years in 1903. From then on, support grew for eliminating the punishment of women who had abortions, and for punishing only doctors. However, the old law effectively remained in force until 18 October 1920, when the Bolshevik government issued a Decree on Women’s Healthcare, which provided for free and on demand abortions for the first time in the world. The legalization reduced the mortality rate of abortions from 4% to 0.28%.

On 27 June 1936 the Central Executive Committee of the USSR issued a decree that prohibited abortions, while increasing financial help to mothers, families with multiple children, expanding the availability of obstetrical services and childcare facilities, more strictly enforcing child support obligations, and providing for minor changes in the divorce law. Abortion was allowed only in exceptional cases, such as a severe threat to a woman’s life or health, or upon indication of debilitating hereditary diseases of the parents.

After Stalin’s death, the prosecution of women for abortions was stopped on 5 August 1954. On 23 November 1955, the ban on abortion was lifted, and abortions were allowed on request if performed in a medical institution. This resulted in a significant reduction in the number of women who died as a result of abortion but also lead to a significant increase in the overall incidence of abortion.

Current law

On 21 October 2011, the Russian Parliament passed a law restricting abortion to the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, with an exception for poor families up to 22 weeks of pregnancy. The new law also made mandatory a waiting period of two to seven days before an abortion can be performed, to allow the woman to "reconsider her decision". Under the previous legislation, the Basic Law of the Russian Federation on Citizens’ Healthcare (22 July 1993), abortion could be performed on request up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, for social reasons up to 22 weeks, and for medical necessity and upon the woman’s consent at any point during pregnancy. Abortion can only be performed in licensed institutions (typically hospitals or women’s clinics) and by physicians who have specialized training.

According to the Criminal Code of Russia (article 123), the performance of an abortion by a person who does not have a medical degree and specialized training is punishable by fine of up to 80 000 RUB; by a fine worth up to 6 months of the convicted's income; by community service from 100 to 240 hours; or by a jail term of 1 to 2 years. In cases when the illegal abortion resulted in the death of the pregnant woman, or caused significant harm to her health, the convicted faces a jail term of up to 5 years.

Recent efforts

The abortion issue has gained renewed attention in 2011 in a debate that the New York Times says "has begun to sound like the debate in the United States". Parliament passed and President Dmitri Medvedev signed several restrictions on abortion into law to combat a falling birthrate and plunging population. The restrictions include requiring abortion providers to devote 10% of advertising costs to describing the dangers of abortion to a woman's health and make it illegal to describe abortion as a safe medical procedure. Medvedev's wife Svetlana Medvedeva has taken up the pro-life cause in Russia in a weeklong national campaign against abortion called "Give Me Life!" and a "Day of Family, Love and Faithfulness" by her Foundation for Social and Cultural Initiatives in conjunction with the Russian Orthodox Church.

Statistics

Despite a significant reduction in the abortion to birth ratio since the mid-1990s, the countries of the former Soviet Union maintain the highest rate of abortions in the world. In 2001, 1 320 000 children were born in Russia, while 1 800 000 abortions were performed. In 2005, 1 600 000 abortions were registered in Russia; 20% of these involved young women under the age of majority. Official statistics put the number at 1 300 000 in 2009, though Russian pro-life activists say that number is much higher.

Abortion statistics were classified in the Soviet Union until the end of the 1980s. During this period, the USSR had one of the highest abortion rates in the world. The abortion rate in the USSR peaked in 1964, when 5.6 million abortions were performed, the highest number in Russia’s history. Nevertheless, the legalization of abortion did not fully eliminate criminal abortions. [E.A. Sadvokasova]

External links

• Tishchenko P., Yudin B. Moral Status of Fetuses in Russia