Health and socioeconomic consequences of unwanted pregnancy for women and children in Nepal

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Investigator: Diana Foster, PhD

Location(s): Nepal

Description

Abortion was legalized in Nepal in 2002. Abortion legalization has contributed to a sharp decline in maternal mortality, which fell from 580 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1995 to 190 per 100,000 in 2013. Many women in Nepal continue to face barriers to obtaining safe and legal procedures. Obstacles include lack of awareness of the legal status of abortion, lack of services, lack of transport to approved facilities, gender norms that hinder women’s decision-making autonomy, the often-prohibitive cost of the procedure and fear of abortion-related stigma.