ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author focuses on a research on understanding the community’s views on abortion and abortion-related needs. The main objectives of the study were: to understand the cultural meanings of abortion in the community; and to understand the perceptions and the socio-cultural factors influencing decision-making related to abortion and abortion-related care among women. The study was carried out in 14 villages of the Velhe taluka in the Pune district of Maharashtra. When asked about spontaneous abortion, most respondents described it as an ‘unfortunate incident’. For a woman, miscarriage is synonymous with bad luck and family members are quick to accuse her of having caused it by eating forbidden food. The dynamics of decision-making at the family level play a critical role in arriving at an understanding of abortion at the community level. In Velhe district, there are no post-abortion care facilities available at the village level.
