Shutterstock/Vladimir Gjorgiev/Person in picture is a model

‘Doctors don’t handle unmarried women well’

If you had to go for an abortion tomorrow, what would be the few things that would come to your mind? Love Matters India asked this question to young people from across India. Here's what they said...

Nervous!

Ok! I am just feeling nervous thinking about getting an abortion, like body mein nervousness feel ho rahi hai.

Sanah, 24, Haryana

Guilt

I will have anxiety, lots of confusion and guilt.

Tarika, 26, Delhi

Hush hush

The first thing I think would be in my mind would be my health - if I am healthy enough to undergo this procedure or not. Secondly what are the consequences of an abortion. Thirdly, I will definitely keep it as hush hush as I would not want my family to find out about it.

Rani, 18, Karnataka

Affect our relationship

First thing would obviously be a bit of guilt. And second things would be - I would be thinking if the surgery would be totally safe for her or not. And third thing - I will be thinking of - how our relationship would go on from this point.

Sagar, 23, Rajasthan

Mentally and emotionally

If I had to go for an abortion, my first thing would be, whether they would be concerned about my privacy, and let me go through the procedure without informing the family member, or making me bring the partner along, and whether they would keep it discreet, so, my second concern would be whether the process will affect my sexual and reproductive health in the long run and my third thing would be - how it would affect me mentally and emotionally.

Karishma, 21, Punjab

Non-judgemental doctor?

The first thing that I would consider while going for an abortion is that the doctor that I am going to is non-judgemental or not of the fact that I am unmarried. How will the doctor treat me because, according to my personal experience, doctors do not usually handle unmarried women that well. I would also think if my operation will have any long term side effects on my body or not.

Pooja, 23, Himachal Pradesh

Cost of the treatment

I would be worried about the cost of the treatment. If the treatment is too unaffordable, maybe I will switch to somebody else. If the treatment is too inexpensive, I will still be very suspicious because of the other two reasons. So the cost would once again be a factor.

Sara, 21, Uttarakhand

Conceive in future

I would be worried if getting an abortion would affect my chances of getting pregnant in future? I would also hope it does not pain much and it does not have any long term health effects on me. I mean I hope I don't regret having it because of the problems that I face maybe after it that I could.

Letting down parents

I will have a sense of letting down my parent because its still a taboo if you get an abortion. I would also have fear regarding not being able to conceive again. But I can't say that with any kind of certainty in a sense that I don’t think I want any children in the future. At least right now.

Kshama, 20, Haryana

Cost and affordability

So if my partner had to get an abortion tomorrow, I would be worried about where to get it done. Is there a place that I can afford? If that is a place that is convenient to go. If I had to go to a different city to find a cheap place then it would not be convenient. Some place which I can find in the city and some place which is pocket friendly which both of us can afford because we don’t want parents to be involved.

Karan, 21, Maharashtra

Would the foetus feel any pain?

Whether or not there will be trouble in conceiving again, what will be the changes in the body, and in how many days will my period come again. I would also think if the child (foetus) will feel any pain if I feel so much pain getting an abortion.

Shraddha, 25, Bihar

To protect the identity, names have been changed in the story.

Abortion is indeed a huge emotional, physical and mental decision. It is also a legal, safe medical procedure, if conducted at an authorised medical facility.

These views on abortion were shared with Love Matters India as we mark the Global Day of Action for Safe and Legal Abortion (28 September). We have a more detailed version of the same in the podcast below:

During our podcast, we realised that despite abortion being legal in India, there are still many myths and misconceptions around the issue. Let's clear them here.