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The Question of Abortion in Serbia

La question de l’avortement en Serbie
Mirjana Rasevic
p. 681-693

Abstracts

Induced abortion has for a long time been a predominant method of birth control in Serbia. With spreading of contraception, significance of induced abortion became to a decrease. Besides this positive trend, estimated number of induced abortions about 200000 abortions per a year shows that a significant number of women mostly, and a certain number of women exclusively, relies on this method of birth control.
Research findings discovered a complex array of factors of abortion problem, including insufficient knowledge of contraception and abortion, a belief that modern contraceptive methods are harmful to health, and a number of psychological barriers, also those arising from relationships with partners. Additionally, the liberalization of the abortion law occurred at a time of decrease birth rate and very modest presence of modern contraceptive methods. Also, there are few organized efforts to promote sex education, as well as limitations in the family planning programme.
The incidence of early complications following induced abortion can be assessed as high. Every tenth abortion in Vojvodina, every fifth in Belgrade, i.e. almost every third in Central Serbia (excluding Belgrade) implies complications. Also, testing 21 variables have shown that the induced abortion and the number of such interventions are important determinants of infertility, miscarriage and premature delivery.
Abortion problem in Serbia is complex, serious and ask for solution. It supposes the promotion of knowledge, the network of family planning services, the access to modern contraception means, responsibility of male in family planning, the law regulation of sterilization, etc. Duration of prevalence of induced abortions indicates that underlying causes of frequency are numerous and stable over time. Considering this, and the slowness of any spontaneous change, it may be expected that the problem of abortions will be present in the years to come.

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References

Bibliographical reference

Mirjana Rasevic, “The Question of Abortion in Serbia”Espace populations sociétés, 2004/3 | 2004, 681-693.

Electronic reference

Mirjana Rasevic, “The Question of Abortion in Serbia”Espace populations sociétés [Online], 2004/3 | 2004, Online since 30 September 2009, connection on 28 March 2024. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/eps/466; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/eps.466

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About the author

Mirjana Rasevic

Institute of Social Sciences
Demographic Research Center
Narodnog fronta 45
Belgrade
Serbie
mrasevic@eunet.yu

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Copyright

CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

The text only may be used under licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. All other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.

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