RUSSIAN LAWMAKERS PREPARE FOR MAJOR CRACKDOWN ON ABORTION

[Danno 1,228]

RUSSIAN LAWMAKERS PREPARE FOR MAJOR CRACKDOWN ON ABORTION

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia‘s Orthodox Church teamed with Conservative parliamentarians Monday to push legislation that would radically restrict abortions in a nation struggling to cope with one of the world’s lowest birthrates.

The legislation would ban free abortions at government-run clinics and prohibit the sale of the morning-after pill without a prescription, said Yelena Mizulina, who heads a parliamentary committee on families, women and children.

She added that abortion for a married woman would also require the permission of her spouse, while teenage girls would need their parents’ consent. If the legislation is passed, a week’s waiting period would also be introduced so women could consider their decision to terminate their pregnancy, Mizulina said.

During the time of the Soviet Union, abortion laws were liberal, and unrestricted termination of pregnancy became virtually the only method of family planning. Sex education was frowned upon.

Russia‘s abortion rates are still among the world’s highest, contributing to a fertility rate of only 1.4 children per woman – far below the 2.1 needed to maintain the existing population. The rate has become a serious concern for Russia as it fights to stem a steep population decline

Mizulina said she wants to see public debate on abortions before the bill is submitted to parliament, an apparent attempt to build support after similar legislation stalled last year.

A bill proposed in late 2010 called for the criminal prosecution of doctors who end late-term pregnancies, but it faced government opposition and was never put up for a vote.

The effort to restrict abortions has strong backing from the Russian Orthodox Church, which has sought a more muscular role in society in recent years. It counts more than 100 million Russians in a population of 143 million as its congregation, although polls show that only about 5 percent of Russians are observant.

“I hope that very soon we will live in a Russia without abortions,” church spokesman Vsevolod Chaplin said at Monday’s presentation.

According to a United Nations survey in 2004, Russia had the world’s highest abortion rate: 53.7 per 100 women.

Figures from the Russian Health Ministry suggest the rate may have declined in recent years, though it remains high: In 2009, there were 74 abortions for every 100 births in Russia, a significant drop in comparison with 169 abortions per 100 births in 2000.

The total number of abortions recorded by the Health Ministry in 2009 reached nearly 1.3 million.

Mizulina claims that the official statistics do not include pregnancies terminated at private clinics, or those stopped by morning-after pills, and the true number might be closer to 6 million.

She also proposed that the law be changed to allow women to leave unwanted children at orphanages anonymously without risking criminal prosecution for child abandonment.

It was unclear how much support the anti-abortion measures would receive in parliament.

Natalya Karpovich, a lawmaker with the dominant pro-Kremlin party United Russia, who is expecting her fifth child, said she supported stricter regulation of abortions. But she said banning the procedure in Russia was unrealistic and would only lead to more children whose parents were unwilling or unable to care for them.

[Staashi 371]

That's a whole lot of abortions. But as has been stated by many from the RUB crowd, these chicks don't want to ruin their figure just for a baby. What I see as poorly lacking in the article is anything about family planning. Give the gals some less costly alternatives like the Pill.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Or make Russia a place where people actually want to stay...

[Danno 1,228]

Or make Russia a place where people actually want to stay...

Easier said than done, seventy some years of Big-Gov has taken it's toll.

[^_^ 5,021]

... a fertility rate of only 1.4 children per woman – far below the 2.1 needed to maintain the existing population.

That's terrible.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

The ROC ( Russian Orthodox Church) is run by known KGB/FSB agents including the Patriarch of the ROC. It's nothing more than a Russian nationalist brainwashing machine. Russia has one of the fastest declining populations in the world due to the fact it's a giant sh*t hole ran by KGB/FSB mafia loving thugs aka United Russia Party. These are the last arseholes in the world to be giving advice on abortion or anything else for that matter.

[^_^ 5,021]

... unrestricted termination of pregnancy became virtually the only method of family planning.

No condoms in the Soviet Union?

The ROC ( Russian Orthodox Church) is run by known KGB/FSB agents including the Patriarch of the ROC. It's nothing more than a Russian nationalist brainwashing machine. Russia has one of the fastest declining populations in the world due to the fact it's a giant sh*t hole ran by KGB/FSB mafia loving thugs aka United Russia Party. These are the last arseholes in the world to be giving advice on abortion or anything else for that matter.

You're just pissed that the next time you go on a sex tourism romp through Russia, there may be lasting consequences

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

No condoms in the Soviet Union?

You're just pissed that the next time you go on a sex tourism romp through Russia, there may be lasting consequences

Next time it will be Ukraine for sure. Cheap 90 day visitor visa's with loads of hot young sexy chicks.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Easier said than done, seventy some years of Big-Gov has taken it's toll.

Totalitarianism is the word you are looking for.

[^_^ 5,021]

Next time it will be Ukraine for sure. Cheap 90 day visitor visa's with loads of hot young sexy chicks.

You can still go to Russia, just take your hanger with you.

[rika60607 215]

Why would abortion stats include "pregnancies stopped by morning after pill"???

How about those stopped by using condoms and those stopped by refusing to have sex?

Who wrote this ####### anyway...

Mizulina claims that the official statistics do not include pregnancies terminated at private clinics, or those stopped by morning-after pills, and the true number might be closer to 6 million.

And no, this will never pass. In the fantasy world where it would, it would never help to increase births... Women in Russia do not want to have more children (reasons are multiple)... so they won't have them long term training in resisting the oppressive government practices, you know.

[_Simpson_ 250]

I give it two pages before this is a full on abortion debate, Russia will be but a distant memory.

[^_^ 5,021]

I just tried pulling boogers out of my nose using a hanger. It hurt a little and caused a bit of bleeding but mission accomplished.

It can be done.

[rika60607 215]

No need to suffer... corruption is well practiced in Russia and those who want abortion will get it... for a price. No matter the laws.

(but that law will never pass)

I just tried pulling boogers out of my nose using a hanger. It hurt a little and caused a bit of bleeding but mission accomplished.

It can be done.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

No need to suffer... corruption is well practiced in Russia and those who want abortion will get it... for a price. No matter the laws.

(but that law will never pass)

You know as well as I do that if the ROC and United Russia want it to pass...it will even if the people vote against it. Since when did the Kremlin have a problem fixing elections? It's a travesty and a shame, but it is what it is.

The church ...any church needs to stay the fck out of politics and mind their own business. Southern Baptist here in the US comes to mind.