The number of abortions has decreased by almost 30 percent in Russia over the past five years, but is still high, Russian Deputy Health Minister Oleg Salagay said on Friday.

 

"Over the past five years, we have managed to reduce the number of abortions by almost 30 percent thanks to cooperation with civic organizations and to the work of the psychological counseling centers. This is certainly very much significant, but we can't remain complacent, as the number of abortions is still very high," Salagay said at the Community forum of the Russian Civic Chamber, which is currently underway in Moscow.

 

According to the estimates of the Russian Federal State Statistics Service, over one million abortions were made in Russia in 2013, while their number decreased to 600,000 in 2017.

 

Under the Russian legislation, the performance of an abortion by a person who does not have a medical degree is punishable by fine up to 800,000 rubles ($12,123), while it can also be punishable by a jail term of up to five years if the pregnant woman died as a result of the abortion, or if significant harm was done to her health.

 

urdupoint.com