Myth: Abortions are extremely unsafe.

Fact: Abortions are only unsafe if they are performed unsafely or through harmful means such as inserting sharp objects into one’s vagina or through ‘home remedies’. Risks can be significantly reduced if the abortion is performed by a qualified doctor or by taking the correct dosage. In fact, childbirth can be riskier with higher chances of fatality than abortions conducted in the first trimester.

Myth: Restricting access to abortions will reduce the rate of abortion.

Fact: This is also not true. Restricting access to safe abortions will merely lead to the increase in unsafe abortions. Unwanted pregnancies happen all the time and usually, people can get desperate to abort the pregnancy and will thus, look for other options if safe abortion access is restricted.

Myth: Abortions can cause breast cancer.

Fact: According to credible sources like the Lancet, there is no evidence linking abortions to higher chances of breast cancer.

Myth: Abortions can lead to long-term mental health issues.

Fact: People seeking abortions might face significant amounts of stress or trauma, but the root of all of that discomfort is often the stigma attached to it, and the worry around how they might safely get an abortion done. Unplanned or unwanted pregnancies also might bring stress, but the abortion procedure inherently is not traumatic, and may also be relieving to some. A lot of the stress around abortion can be mitigated if people are more supportive of individual autonomy and unbiased access to safe sexual and reproductive health services. In fact, having to go through an unwanted pregnancy can be a difficult mental health experience, as can postpartum depression.

Myth: Only cis-gendered women can become pregnant.

Fact: Trans men and non-binary folks can also become pregnant. This is why the term ‘pregnant person’ is used when speaking about abortion.

Myth: Abortions are illegal in India

Fact: This is absolutely untrue. According to the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971, abortions are legal in all states except Jammu and Kashmir. There are certain provisions and conditions to the law. Abortions are allowed in cases when there is a health hazard to the pregnant person or the foetus or cases of sexual assault that may have resulted in pregnancy and even in cases of failure of contraceptives.

Myth: Easy availability of abortion services will lead to sex-selective abortions and declining sex ratio in the country.

Fact: Most abortions take place in the first trimester of the pregnancy (12 weeks) while sex determination of the foetus is possible only in the second trimester (12-36 weeks).

Myth: The insertion of sharp objects like twigs or hangers will result in safely aborting the pregnancy.

Fact: While this may result in eventually aborting the pregnancy, these are not the safest methods of abortion. Such methods may lead to uterine rupture or infections. One of the most common myths about abortions is that they affect fertility. Now safe abortions have no impact on fertility whatsoever. However, if abortion is performed by an unqualified practitioner or performed unsafely, it can lead to infections, that thereby may affect fertility.

Myth: Only young women and/or irresponsible women seek abortions.

Fact: This is simply not true. As a matter of fact, abortions are sought by people across the average fertility period that ranges from 12 to 50 years of age. The reasons for seeking abortion may be just as vast as the age range itself. People with a uterus, irrespective of region, educational qualifications, religion, economic status, marital status, number of children and contraceptive usage seek abortions.

Myth: If unmarried, one cannot legally get an abortion.

Fact: That’s just the stigma talking. No matter what your relationship is with your sexual partner, you can get an abortion without their role as long as you are over 18 years of age.