Srinagar, Aug 12: Jammu & Kashmir has seen a sharp increase in medical terminations of pregnancy over the last five years, with official data showing the numbers more than doubled from 2020–21 to 2023–24, followed by a slight decline in the provisional figures for 2024–25.
Srinagar recorded a significant increase in medical terminations of pregnancy (MTP) between 2020–21 and 2023–24, according to official figures.
These figures show that terminations rose from 3,532 in 2020–21 to 9,643 in 2023–24. The provisional figure for 2024–25 is 9,193.
In comparison, Ladakh reported lower numbers reflecting its smaller population and fewer health facilities. The region had 46 terminations in 2020–21, increasing to 125 in 2022–23 before declining slightly to 108 in 2024–25.
J&K currently has 109 authorised public health facilities offering MTP services, while Ladakh has 15 such facilities nationally. The number of medical terminations increased from 5.34 lakh in 2020–21 to an estimated 8.93 lakh in 2024–25.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare runs the Comprehensive Abortion Care programme to provide safe and timely access to MTP services across the country. This includes training medical officers, ensuring availability of equipment and drugs, and raising awareness, especially in rural areas.
Recent changes under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Act, 2021, extended the gestational limit to 24 weeks for specific cases.
These legal reforms have been implemented across states and Union Territories and are linked to the rise in recorded terminations. (KNO)
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