The study on abortion, post abortion complications among women and their treatment seeking behavior is limited in Indian context mainly because of the stigma and taboos associated with abortion. Therefore, this study attempts to find out the pattern of place of abortion, post-abortion complication and determinants of treatment seeking behavior of post-abortion complications in India. The study using the data from NFHS 4 and employing both bi-variate and multivariate analysis found that the more than half of the abortions happened in private health facilities while about one fourth of abortions happened in outside the health facility. Post abortion complication is found to be substantially higher in north region followed by central region. Fifteen percentages of women do not go for treatment for post abortion complication mainly because they can’t afford the treatment and due to social stigma about the abortion. Therefore, these sections of women should be the priority from policy point of view. As there is strong social stigma attached to abortion in India the reporting of abortion is a concern. To minimize this, awareness about abortion to the people should be provided and women need to be educated.

Chanda Maurya, Harihar Sahoo. Post Abortion Complication and Treatment Seeking Behavior among Women in India. 2021.