The State Duma Committee opposed the ban on abortions in private clinics

The State Duma Committee on Health Protection believes that it is necessary to preserve the right to choose a doctor and medical organization for artificial termination of pregnancy. A letter analyzing the proposals of the Russian Orthodox Church to ban abortions in private clinics was sent to the speaker of the lower house, Vyacheslav Volodin. Have read the document “Vedomosti”.

Committee members share the position that consideration of initiatives to limit and ban legal abortions, including in private clinics, requires “careful consideration and balanced assessment” to avoid the risks of “criminal interference.” They also advocate strengthening control over the work of private clinics.

At the same time, the Committee believes that it is necessary to continue to improve the obstetric and gynecological service and medical and social support rooms for pregnant women. Also, according to deputies, it is necessary to continue to develop the mechanism of pre-abortion counseling. In 2022, almost 23% of women who received counseling chose not to have an abortion. 47.6 thousand pregnancies were saved.

Patriarch Kirill in November asked Vyacheslav Volodin to support the initiative to ban abortions in private clinics. At the same time, the Patriarch asked to appoint the Security and Anti-Corruption Committee responsible for preparing the document, explaining this “the importance of the issue that goes beyond the scope of healthcare.” However, the speaker instructed the health committee to study the initiative. In December, a bill banning abortions in private clinics was introduced Legislative Assembly of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Against the backdrop of the ongoing debate, private clinics in a number of regions voluntarily refused from abortions in other regions were accepted laws prohibiting abortion inducement.

President Vladimir Putin in December expressed an opinionthat in the area of ​​restricting abortions we need to act very carefully. He noted that he knew the position of the church, but called for remembering the “sad results of the anti-alcohol campaign.”

Read more about the discussion in the Kommersant article. “Abortions are in danger of being induced”.

Leonid Uvarchev