India: Govt calls for medical boards in states for abortion cases

Govt calls for medical boards in states for abortion cases

The court had earlier referred the matter to a medical board. Taking note of the board’s report, which confirmed the anomaly and said there was no treatment available, the court on Thursday allowed the woman to undergo medical termination of her pregnancy.

By: Express News Service | New Delhi
August 31, 2017

Concerned by the rising number of abortion pleas before the Supreme Court, the Centre has written to all the states and union territories, asking them to set up permanent medical boards to deal with such cases. Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar conveyed this to a Supreme Court Bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao on Thursday, during the hearing of a petition filed by a Pune-based woman, who sought permission to abort her 25-week-old foetus on the basis of a medical report which said it had no brain and skull. The court had earlier referred the matter to a medical board. Taking note of the board’s report, which confirmed the anomaly and said there was no treatment available, the court on Thursday allowed the woman to undergo medical termination of her pregnancy.

Continued at source: Indian Express: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/supreme-court-govt-calls-for-medical-boards-in-states-for-abortion-cases-4822899/


India: Access to safe abortion should be made every woman’s right

Access to safe abortion should be made every woman’s right

Dr Rishma D Pai | Updated: Aug 30, 2017

Last month, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled in favour of a woman seeking to abort her 26-week foetus with a congenital defect. The bench stated that a woman has the “sacrosanct right to her bodily integrity”. The judge leading the bench also stated that “the right of a woman to have a reproductive choice is the right of personal liberty”.

Continued at source: DNA India: http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/report-dna-edit-access-to-safe-abortion-should-be-made-every-woman-s-right-2541632


Sri Lanka nabs Indian for smuggling abortion pills worth Rs 2.3 million

Sri Lanka nabs Indian for smuggling abortion pills worth Rs 2.3 million
Aug 30, 2017

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities have arrested an Indian man for allegedly smuggling highly potent abortion pills worth Rs 2.3 million, according to a media report today.

The Indian, who arrived from New Delhi on a SriLankan Airlines flight yesterday, had tried to leave without declaring the huge quantity of the pills, the Colombo Page reported.

Upon inspection, Lanka Customs officers found the illegal medicine stock in his luggage.

The suspect, who was not identified, had visited Sri Lanka on several occasions earlier. He has been buying the medicine from India for a low price and selling it in the country for a large amount of money, the report said.

Source: Times of India: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/sri-lanka-nabs-indian-for-smuggling-abortion-pills-worth-rs-2-3-million/articleshow/60292975.cms


South Korea shaman not charged after absolving abortion ‘guilt’ for $500,000

South Korea shaman not charged after absolving abortion 'guilt' for $500,000
By Elizabeth Shim
Aug. 30, 2017

A South Korean woman who spent nearly $500,000 on spiritual services from a traditional shaman will not be recouping her money, despite claims her "adviser" may have tricked her client.

Shim Hyeong-seop, the presiding judge on the case in a Seoul district court, said Friday it is inconclusive whether the defendant, 45, had cheated her client of money, EDaily reported.

Continued at source: UPI: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/08/30/South-Korea-shaman-not-charged-after-absolving-abortion-guilt-for-500000/7001504114629/


Samoa: Govt. urged to amend abortion law

Govt. urged to amend abortion law

By Joyetter Luamanu , 29 August 2017

A call has been made by the Ministry of Health to amend laws that govern abortion in Samoa.

The call is made in their 98-page National HIV, AIDS, and STI Policy 2017-2022 obtained by the Samoa Observer.

“Abortion is illegal in Samoa and access to abortion services is critical to the health and wellbeing of (people living with) PLWHIV, dealing with a sexually transmitted infection, and survivors of rape and incest,” the report reads.

Continued at source: Samoa Observer: http://sobserver.ws/en/29_08_2017/local/23715/Govt-urged-to-amend-abortion-law.htm


India: Abortion plea: SC sets up medical board at JJ

Abortion plea: SC sets up medical board at JJ
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
August 29, 2017

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday set up a medical board to examine the condition of a 13-year-old rape survivor who is seeking permission to abort her 30-week-old foetus.

A Bench comprising Justices S.A. Bobde and L. Nageswara Rao directed that a medical board would be constituted at the Sir JJ Group of Hospitals to examine the minor girl and ascertain the condition and advisability of permitting abortion. “The aforesaid board shall submit a report about the condition and advisability of permitting a medical termination of pregnancy of the petitioner’s daughter forthwith,” the Bench said, and fixed the matter for hearing on August 31.

Continued at source: The Hindu: http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/abortion-plea-sc-sets-up-medical-board-at-jj/article19577186.ece


New survey shows abortion rate declining in Armenia

New survey shows abortion rate declining in Armenia
29/08/2017 Armenia

The fertility rate, total (births per woman) in Armenia is reported at 1.7 while the rate was 2.8 in 90s per women, Karine Saribekyan, Director of the Maternal and Child Health Department at the Armenian Ministry of Healthcare, told reporters on Monday while presenting the data of the newly released “Armenia Demographic and Health Survey 2015-2016” (ADHS).

In Saribekyan’s words, a tendency of declining abortion rates is observed in Armenia. According to the research, in 2015-2016, 69% of pregnancies ended in live births in 2015-2016, 23% - in induced abortions, while 9% - in miscarriages, and stillbirths. The previous research conducted in 2000 suggested abortions rate at 55%, 45% in the research conducted in 2005, and 29% - in the Demographic Research of the year 2010.

The head of the department detailed that two third of the induced abortions were due to the woman’s wish to have no more children, 8% - with diseases in offspring, another 8% for sex-selective reasons.

Source: Panorama: http://www.panorama.am/en/news/2017/08/29/abortion-rate/1826508


New Zealand: Anti-abortion club not welcome at Auckland University

Anti-abortion club not welcome at Auckland University
Aug 29, 2017

Auckland University students have voted to abolish an anti-abortion club from its student association.

About 2700 students participated in a week-long online referendum, which asked whether the Auckland University Student's Association should disaffiliate the ProLife Club.

About 1600 students voted in favour of the motion.

Continued at source: TNNZ: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/anti-abortion-club-not-welcome-auckland-university


New Zealand: Taranaki health board apologises over abortion case

Taranaki health board apologises over abortion case

BRITTANY BAKER
August 29 2017

The Taranaki District Health Board has apologised on behalf of the Fulford Radiology Services for breaching the Code of ...
Robert Charles/STUFF

The Taranaki District Health Board has apologised on behalf of the Fulford Radiology Services for breaching the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights.

A woman seeking an abortion was told her baby had no heartbeat - only to learn months later that she was still pregnant, a health and disability commission investigation has been told.

Continued at source: Stuff.co: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/96269914/taranaki-health-board-apologises-over-abortion-case


Iran: Rise in MTP Rates

Rise in MTP Rates
Monday, August 28, 2017

According to data released by the Health Ministry, last year (ended in March), 12,281 women put in applications for the medical termination of their pregnancies. The figure was 23.4% higher compared to the preceding year.

“Permission was granted to 8,537 applicants, which indicates that the number of permits increased by 19.8% compared to the preceding year,” said Ahmad Shojaee, head of the Legal Medicine Organization, ILNA reported.

Continued at source: Financial Tribune: https://financialtribune.com/articles/people/71222/rise-in-mtp-rates