ABSTRACT
The World Health Organisation estimates that of the 20 million unsafe abortions taking place each year, nearly 90 per cent are in the developing world. According to the Government of India’s family planning yearbook, 4,65,705 pregnancies were medically terminated in India during 1996–97. Ahmedabad is the second largest city in western India with a population of about 42 lakh according to the 2001 Census of India. About 40 per cent of this population is located in slums. The four investigators selected to do the fieldwork were young college graduates with some research experience. They came from urban backgrounds and could speak the local language. A total of 62 women—30 from SLUM-1 and 32 from SLUM-2—were interviewed. Seventeen women whose pregnancies were terminated on medical advice said that the decision for abortion had been made by the doctor. Family members seemed to have played a major role in decision making in SLUM-1.
