Role of Induced Abortion in Attaining Reproductive Goals in Kyrgyzstan: A Study Based on KRDHS-1997

Alina Sulaimanova, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Chander Shekhar, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Estimates indicate that 46 million pregnancies are voluntarily terminated each year, of which 19 million are legal. This paper aims to understand the dynamics of family planning use, reproductive preferences, and future intention to use contraception and abortion, and their fertility inhibiting effects among Kyrgyz women. The total abortion rate for Kyrgyz Republic is 1.6 abortions per woman. It seems to be on the higher side, though it has declined in recent past. However, there is an increase in rates for women from backward strata. The modified proximate determinant framework suggests that abortion is a prominent factor in creating fertility differentials among Kyrgyz women. Women who have had an abortion, a majority of them intended to repeat it in the case of an unintended pregnancy. It is worth noting that among contraceptive non-users, 46 percent of women not desiring an additional child, do not intend to use any method in future.