Policies and research findings on induced abortion

Hoang Kim Dzung, Center for Population Studies and Information, Hanoi
Tran Phuong Mai

Since a warming about the extremely high abortion rate, various policies on induced abortion were formulated in health and FP program. A special survey on induced abortion in 2000 showed that a lot of interventions has been implemented for reducing abortion needs among Vietnamese women. However the high rate of abortion's complications, uncompleted post-abortion care, abortion's performances without medical testing for pregnancy, unclear Service's cost and distorted client's records in health faciliies. After this research’s report, the abortion’s protocols, technical and counseling skills had been provided for abortionist in public health system. A new research study on induced abortion in 2004 demonstrated that quality of care had been improving in health and FP programs. However the abortion’s records in public health facilities remained big problems, resulting in the different abortion numbers in the national surveys in Vietnam. This raises further questions research on current health and FP situations in Vietnam.