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Abortion situation in Lithuania

Abortion situation in Lithuania. Esmeralda Kuliesyte MD, Executive Director Family Planning and Sexual Health Association FIGO project coordinator. Abortion is legal in Lithuania since 1955. There is no abortion law in Lithuania.

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Abortion situation in Lithuania

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  1. Abortion situation in Lithuania Esmeralda Kuliesyte MD, Executive Director Family Planning and Sexual Health Association FIGO project coordinator

  2. Abortion is legal in Lithuania since 1955.

  3. There is no abortion law in Lithuania. The 1994 order of the Minister of Health regulates abortionprocedure.

  4. Up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, abortion is allowed on women's request. After 12 weeks up to 22 weeks – according to medical indications.

  5. Every year around 10 000 abortions are performed on women’s request in Lithuania. 10,8 abortions per 1000 women of reproductive age. 33 abortions per 100 live births. Lithuanian Health Information Center, 2006

  6. Unmarried women terminate pregnancy twice as often as the married ones. The biggest part of women who had abortion was not well educated. The main reason indicated as a barrier to have children – financial problems. Dissertation by Dr. Virginija Vanagiene „ The reasons for termination of pregnancy and the peculiarities of contraception consumption, conclusions and recommendations“, 2001

  7. 23 % of all abortions are performed in the age of 20-24 years old. 13 % of all abortions are performed in the age of 15-19. Lithuanian Department of Statistics Lithuanian Health Information Center, 2006, LHIC

  8. The first termination of the pregnancy constitutes 24 % of all abortions. In the age group of 15-19 this percentage is about 72 %. LHIC, data only from state institutions, 2006

  9. Approximately 2500 women aged 15-16 give birth every year. Unplanned pregnancies constitute 25 % in this age group. LHIC, data only from state institutions, 2006

  10. No cases of death related to abortion have been registered. Illegal abortion is very rare. Medical abortion is not legal in Lithuania.

  11. At the end of 2007 conservative parliamentarians proposed Protection of Human Life in Prenatal Stage Draft Law, which aims to prohibit abortion on women’s request, leaving two possible reasons for abortion – threat to women’s health and life and the case of rape or incest. In June State Family Policy Concept which recommends to protect human life from the moment of conception has been approved.

  12. Such policies discriminate women and do not contribute to ensuring equal rights and equal opportunities to them. It is expected, that after banning of abortion in Lithuania, the number of illegal abortions and women’s deaths will increase.

  13. According to the data of RAIT survey in 2005, 60,9 % of reproductive age (16-49 years) women do not use any contraception.

  14. The most commonly used methods, RAIT: contraceptive pills – 20, 5 %, condoms - 13,9%, intra-uterine device – 5 %.

  15. Women of reproductive age (16-49 years) reported not using contraceptive pills because they believe they are harmful for health (32, 6%), RAIT.

  16. Contraception is mostly used by urban people of 16-44 years old, whose monthly income exceed 600 Litas for one family member. Contraceptive pills are most commonly used by the women aged 16-34, whose monthly income is more than 1000 Litas for one family member, RAIT.

  17. The reasons for not using effective contraceptive methods are mostly subjective: - trusting the partner, - carelessness and lack of interest in contraception, - underestimation of the risk to conceive. Objective reason – intolerance of used contraception. Dissertation by Dr. Virginija Vanagiene „ The reasons for termination of pregnancy and the peculiarities of contraception consumption, conclusions and recommendations“, 2001

  18. Voluntary sterilization, which could be chosen by the couples who do not want more children, is not legal.

  19. There is no NationalFamily Planning Program aimingto increase awareness of the society, couples, women and youth about contraception and its usage. Contraception counseling after abortion in health care institutions is not sufficient or does not exist.

  20. The information about family planning, contraception is spread poorly and often even erroneously in schools, the teachers very often talk about inefficacy and harmfulness of contraception. There is lack of society education on prevention of unplanned pregnancy and family planning methods.

  21. Gynecologists, midwifes, nurses and family doctors are the main sources from whom women get information about effective contraception. Dissertation by Dr. Virginija Vanagiene „ The reasons for termination of pregnancy and the peculiarities of contraception consumption, conclusions and recommendations“, 2001m.

  22. NATIONAL ACTION PLANLITHUANIA Goal • To reduce the number of abortions in Lithuania.

  23. Objective 1To increase contraceptive prevalence rate up to 60 % in three years. MoH – the Ministry of HealthFPSHA – Family Planning and Sexual HealthAssociation MoE&S – the Ministry of Education and Science LSC - Lithuanian Society of Contraceptologists LSOG – Lithuanian Society of Obstetricians GynecologistsLCGP - Lithuanian College of General Practitioners LUM - Lithuanian Union of Midwifes

  24. Objective 1To increase contraceptive prevalence rate up to 60 % in three years. MoH – the Ministry of HealthFPSHA – Family Planning and Sexual HealthAssociation MoE&S – the Ministry of Education and Science LSC - Lithuanian Society of Contraceptologists LSOG – Lithuanian Society of Obstetricians GynecologistsLCGP - Lithuanian College of General Practitioners LUM - Lithuanian Union of Midwifes

  25. Objective 1To increase contraceptive prevalence rate up to 60 % in three years. • MoH – the Ministry of HealthFPSHA – Family Planning and Sexual HealthAssociation • MoE&S – the Ministry of Education and Science LSC - Lithuanian Society of Contraceptologists • LSOG – Lithuanian Society of Obstetricians GynecologistsLCGP - Lithuanian College of General Practitioners • LUM - Lithuanian Union of Midwifes

  26. Objective 1To increase contraceptive prevalence rate up to 60 % in three years. • MoH – the Ministry of HealthFPSHA – Family Planning and Sexual HealthAssociation • MoE&S – the Ministry of Education and Science LSC - Lithuanian Society of Contraceptologists • LSOG – Lithuanian Society of Obstetricians GynecologistsLCGP - Lithuanian College of General Practitioners • LUM - Lithuanian Union of Midwifes

  27. Objective 2To improve SRHR legislation and governmental support to SRHR in two years period. • MoH – the Ministry of HealthFPSHA – Family Planning and Sexual HealthAssociation • MoE&S – the Ministry of Education and Science LSC - Lithuanian Society of Contraceptologists • LSOG – Lithuanian Society of Obstetricians GynecologistsLCGP - Lithuanian College of General Practitioners • LUM - Lithuanian Union of Midwifes

  28. Objective 2To improve SRHR legislation and governmental support to SRHR in two years period. • MoH – the Ministry of HealthFPSHA – Family Planning and Sexual HealthAssociation • MoE&S – the Ministry of Education and Science LSC - Lithuanian Society of Contraceptologists • LSOG – Lithuanian Society of Obstetricians GynecologistsLCGP - Lithuanian College of General Practitioners • LUM - Lithuanian Union of Midwifes

  29. Objective 3To improve abortion statistics in one year period. • MoH – the Ministry of Health

  30. Objective 4To improve awareness of emergency contraception (EC) of youngpeople in one year period. • FPSHA – Family Planning and Sexual Health Association

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