Impact of abortion hazards on Family Planning Programme.

M.T.P. Act 1971 of India is one among the most liberal in the world and has replaced one of the most rigid laws in the world on Section 312 of Penal Code of 1860. Enac .ment of this Act has resulted in a rapid increase in the number of legal abortions and a further increase may confid~ntly be expected. A favourable psychological moment . for inducing a woman to undergo surgical sterilization exists when she is carrying an unwanted pregnancy. An offer to "get rid" o£ th3 unwan~ed pregnancy is considered as a strong "incen,ive" to accept tubal sterilization and it looks as if an unwanted early pregnancy is the best "motivator". It is hoped that tubectomies performed at the time of abortion have a good chance of p'aying considerable role in our National Family Planning Programme. However, pregnancy termination, even in the early weeks is neither simple nor as safe as the proverbial tooth extraction. The morbidi ty of legal abortion progressively increases as the period of pregnancy advances. Termination of pregnancy after the first trimester by any method carries considerable risk to th~ heal h and life of the woman. Tubal sterilization, like any other surgical pro-