WANA (Sep 11) – In recent years, the rate of abortions in Iran has significantly risen, becoming a serious issue related to public health and population growth. Thousands of healthy fetuses are aborted daily, often because families are dissatisfied with the fetus’s gender or are not ready to have children.

 

The head of Iran’s Population Youth Center at the Ministry of Health emphasized during a national meeting on maternal health and population growth that there is a widespread misconception in society that aborting a fetus under four months old is acceptable.

 

According to experts, an abortion under four months is no different from murder, as the fetus is considered alive from the moment of implantation.

 

However, some sellers of illegal abortion pills and underground doctors exploit this misconception, setting arbitrary limits for abortion and claiming that “a fetus under four months does not feel anything.”

 

According to published data, the number of abortions has nearly doubled in the past decade. While accurate statistics are difficult to obtain due to illegal and underground abortions, estimates suggest that Iran experiences around 350,000 abortions annually—equivalent to about 1,000 per day.

 

Research shows that 96% of abortions occur in legitimate families, often for reasons such as the fetus’s gender, continuing education, or lack of readiness. Only 17% of abortions are attributed to economic issues.

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Leila Rahmani, a gynaecologist, believes that with strict and discreet oversight, it is possible to identify non-compliant doctors and curb illegal abortions.

 

However, Suleiman Heidari, Director General of the Center for Treatment Oversight, pointed out legal shortcomings, stating that proving abortion-related crimes is challenging since it requires finding the aborted fetus and confirming the involvement of a specific doctor.

 

If the offense is discovered before the abortion takes place, the midwife or doctor has not technically committed a crime according to the law.

 

A study by the Think Tank Mouj highlighted the need for the government to change society’s perception of the fetus. The fetus should not be seen as just a lifeless mass of blood but as a living child. Additionally, tougher laws must be enacted to control abortion clinics and the availability of abortion drugs.

 

Grassroots and volunteer groups are playing an increasingly vital role in preventing and countering abortions, as many abortions in Iran occur under medical pretenses that circumvent existing laws by disguising deliberate abortions as medically necessary.

 

Given the rising abortion rates in Iran, a shift in public discourse and stricter regulations seem essential to protect fetuses as living beings and to address the growing prevalence of this issue.