Odisha reports a big rise in Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) or cases of induced abortions over the years. The element of concern apparently gets heightened when over 10-25 per cent MTPs were recorded in the second/third trimester of pregnancy in as many as ten districts in the State. The blip on the radar here apparently flashes this 'high' to continuance of sex determination and couples going for it to 'abort' the birth of girl child. At the same time it also alludes to rising teenage abortions in the districts.
According to the data available with the State Health and Family Welfare Department, the State average of late MTP is around 5-6 per cent of total MTPs up to December 31 last year. But around 12 districts have reported a rate above that of the State average with Balangir emerging at the top with a rate of around 19 per cent of total MTPs. Activist Meenakshi Purohit attributes this to prevalence of rampant sex determination in Balangir.
Significantly, a senior gynaecologist at the Capital Hospital explains that mostly unmarried women or younger married women or women above 40-year age-group go for MTP during second or third trimester in Odisha. She said last financial year Khurda district has reported such MTP rate of around 13 per cent and the reasons cited were ranging from environmental factors to injury to physical health and failure of contraceptives.
Interestingly, the cases of MTP in Odisha have clocked a whopping 63 per cent rise between 2012-13 and 2014-15. Districts that record a higher rate of around 10 - 25 per cent of late MTP cases are Balangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Dhenkanal, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur and Nuapada. Three districts like Sambalpur, Sonepur and Sundergarh have reported a rate of 6-7 per cent. With rising load, the State Government has notified all its 221 delivery points as MTP centres and the load per centre now has risen to around 70.
It needs mentioning that MTPs after 12 weeks carry a greater risk for women and even could become fatal. Though the MTP Act 1972 was brought on to curb the maternal mortality rate in the country, such late MTPs only defeat that purpose, observed an internal review by the NRHM on maternal deaths. Abortions still account for a significant number in total maternal mortalities in Odisha.
Experts are of the opinion that since late MTPs can lead to serious complications, the compulsion behind the women could be due to socio-cultural like son-yearning or pregnancy outside marriage. Activist Purohit observes that sex determination goes a whole hog in the districts thanks to lack of surveillance. A senior functionary in the State-level PCPNDT Cell concedes that lack of audit by the district administration that gives a long rope to the sonographers from being detected. He explained that as per PCPNDT Act, medical audit of Form F is mandated and this is a key in letting the authorities detect the conduct of sonography for sex selection. They deliberately left many vital columns blank, he added.