Pokhara, October 3:

Of the total pregnant women in Nepal, 10.8 per cent opt for abortion, according to statistics.

A survey conducted by the Nepal Family Planning Association (NFPA), Kaski, showed that 10.8 per cent opted for abortion in 2005. The statistics show 926,486 women conceive in Nepal every year.

The NFPA said pregnant women go to hospital, clinics run by the health assistants, private houses and abroad for abortion. Altogether 64 districts in Nepal cater safe abortion services that include, government, non-governmental, medial colleges and private clinics, said chairman of the NFPA, Kaski, Divas Man Pradhananga. Kaski district has three safe abortion centers, including one government and two non-governmental centres. Different problems arise while providing abortion services. Lack of skilled manpower, lack of information on safe abortion, government apathy to control unsafe abortion, delay in decision-making make abortion complicated, said secretary of NFPA, Kaski, Anup Sigdel.

According to legal provisions, women who are up to 12 weeks pregnant can carry out abortion on their free will, while those who conceive through rape or rape by someone related by blood, abortion can be carried out even after 18 weeks. The law forbids abortion without the consent of pregnant women or abortion after recognising the gender of the fetus.