In India, as of today, all women have equal reproductive rights including the right to seek abortion regardless of their marital status. Still, abortion of unmarried women is seldom discussed. The lack of information and know-how about abortion is one of the leading causes of unsafe abortions in India. That is why; we need to have open conversations educating and informing women about their reproductive rights. Every woman has the right to a safe, legal and confidential abortion procedure in India with a focus on her long term health and well-being, and without being hassled in any way.

Abortion for Unmarried in Bangalore

For unmarried couples, a positive pregnancy test may not be a part of their plan. An unexpected pregnancy may bring physical, mental, and emotional turmoil to the couple. But, the Indian abortion law, provides unmarried women and their partners with equal reproductive rights as married women and their husbands.

Contraceptives do fail. And it can affect the life of anyone, anywhere and anytime resulting in unwanted pregnancies. Having a child may not be a part of planning for unmarried women and they may seek an abortion.

It is unfortunate that unmarried single Indian women have been putting their lives at risk for getting secret abortions due to a lack of understanding of their rights. Due to this, they sought help from uncertified centres to get the fetus aborted. Most of these abortions are inclined to be conducted in an unsafe manner ending up in grave consequences further adding to the misery. But, not anymore.

Now, getting a legal abortion under defined circumstances is a part of the reproductive rights of Indian women regardless of their marital status. Unsafe abortions have caused many women morbidity and mortality. The Ministry of Home and Family Welfare recognized the gravity of this issue. And it is with its efforts that unmarried women are being given equal reproductive rights as that of married women.

In the competitive and hectic time of today, youth seeking independent lives either marry late or avoid it entirely. People choose live-in relationships over life-long commitments of marriage. Many career-oriented people choose to stay single. Entering marriage and taking responsibility of raising children is not what they may be looking forward to. And they are not wrong. Every human being is an individual and as a part of his/her human rights, he/she has a right to live his/her life in self-designed ways without being judged for the choices made.  

As an unmarried couple seeking abortion, many questions must be hovering your mind. Here are answers to some of your questions explained by the professional healthcare providers.

There are plenty of myths involved in having an abortion as an unmarried woman, but we have paved a way for you to make a wise choice.

You can find answers to your queries here:

Still, if there’s any query left out, feel free to ask the experts. Your questions relevant to your cases will be completely confidential, so do not hesitate.

#1. Contraceptives cannot fail. How can I be pregnant?

Often, the first reaction for an unmarried couple to have a positive pregnancy test is, “Impossible”. This is the reaction for most unmarried couples and even with married couples when they had been using contraceptives. Couples using contraceptives have secured minds that the woman will not get pregnant. To them, this very news is unexpected.

Here’s your answer. Yes, you can get pregnant even if you have been using contraceptives. For instance, if you used a condom, there are some chances of leakage getting you pregnant. Or if you have been using oral contraceptive pills, again they might have failed.

Your personal tracking of your ovulation and defining safe as well as unsafe periods for pregnancy might bring unexpected results. Biological systems and hormonal cycles vary for every female. Each individual behaves and responds differently to different kinds of oral contraceptives available in the marketplace.

Now, you are pregnant. We understand your difficult state.  The most important thing at this time is to first take a few deep breaths and stay calm.  The immediate impulse of many women who unexpectedly find out that they are pregnant is to panic, act in haste and take steps that may cause irreversible damage to their health and life. Therefore, it is particularly important to first stay calm and then take the right steps with your health and safety being the highest priority.

Now, coming to your next question.

#2. Is abortion legal for me as an unmarried woman?

Yes, as of today abortion in India is legal regardless of the marital status of the couples. There are multiple circumstances where an unmarried woman can seek abortion for an unwanted pregnancy, including in the event of contraceptive failure. It is advised for her not to panic and resort to any unsafe abortion practice. Instead, visit a certified MTP centre, seek a professional’s counsel and get a safe abortion procedure. Legalization has been done in order to reduce unsafe abortions that are the leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity.

#3. How early can I get an abortion?

We realize you are nervous and cannot wait to get rid of the mental pressure by receiving the abortion service at the earliest. We too would not advise you the delay. At Bangalore Genesis Hospital (BGH), you can get the abortion procedure done at the earliest without any hassle.

#4. Can I take abortion pills or what is the abortion procedure involved?

You will receive abortion service by any one of the following three prescribed abortion methods as per the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC):

• Medical abortion: If you are pregnant for 6 weeks or less, you are most likely to receive safe abortion pills. The medical method of abortion (MMA) is simple, non-invasive, spontaneous, safe, convenient, and therefore, the most preferred. There is no in-patient admission. You will either receive abortion pills to be taken orally or the healthcare professional will insert them vaginally.

After a couple of hours of administration, you may feel cramping pain in your lower abdomen like that of pain during periods. You will also be receiving analgesics for pain management. After that, the unwanted products of gestation (POG) residing in the uterus will be shed.

Vaginal bleeding mayor may not last from 2 to 7 days. You are requested to make a follow-up visitor phone call (since some may be international patients who cannot revisit after the procedure) as and when asked by your doctor to ensure complete recovery after abortion.

• Vacuum aspiration: If the length of your pregnancy has exceeded 6 weeks but is less than 14 weeks, you will most likely be prescribed to have an abortion by vacuum aspiration. The POG are removed by suction. The vacuum is created and suction force is built. According to the available equipment, it can be done either using a hand-operated motor or an electrically operated suction device.

A local anaesthetic will be used so that you do not feel even the slightest of pain and discomfort during the procedure. The procedure will last from 3-10 minutes only and you can expect to get discharged within an hour after the procedure. The blood loss after abortion by vacuum aspiration will be less. This is because all the products of gestation will have been removed via aspirator.

• Dilatation and Evacuation (D & E): If your pregnancy is between 14 to 20 weeks in cases of contraceptive failure and from 20-24 weeks in case of fetal anomalies, your abortion procedure will be surgical. Please, don’t worry. It won’t cause you any discomfort or harm. All the unwanted uterine contents are removed carefully. The procedure lasts not more than 30 minutes. The safe D & E procedures are done by trained medical professionals only.

The choice of abortion procedure will vary for individual cases. The first deciding factor for the procedure is the gestation age. Whatever method of abortion may be chosen in your case, you will get discharged from the hospital the same day. And you will be asked to follow-up about a week later to check for the complete recovery.

#5. Do I need consent from my parents/guardians for an abortion?

We can anticipate how troubled a situation it can be for you to be thinking about seeking out your parents’ consent for an abortion before marriage. But, do not worry. In case you are an adult, i.e. above 18 years of age only your consent is needed legally for an abortion. No other consent is required, including your parents or partner.

#6. What should I carry while visiting the hospital for the abortion procedure and should anyone accompany me?

Since you will be discharged the same day after the abortion procedure, there is not much you might need to carry along with you. While scheduling your appointment the doctor will inform you of any specifics needed. A friend, confidant, or anyone you choose may accompany you for additional comfort. The experienced and caring nurses and medical team will be available to guide and assist you in each step of the process and procedure to ensure your comfort.

#7. How long will I need to stay at the hospital and what will I need to prepare?

As far as a stay at the hospital is concerned, you will most likely be discharged the same day within an hour. For surgical abortion, we may ask you to take rest for longer than an hour, but you will get discharged the same day. In case the method for your abortion is surgical, you might be asked to come on an empty stomach.

#8. Will my details be kept confidential?

At Bangalore Genesis Hospital (BGH), you can free yourself from the anxiety relating to your privacy. Here, all your details from your first call to your latest visit will be kept confidential. As a part of our confidentiality policy, no healthcare staff or any other employee can disclose any kind of information relating to you or your condition to anyone else except you. Your information is also kept fully confidential as required by the law.

#9. How long will I have to wait for abortion after my first appointment?

It is wrongly assumed by many couples that visiting a certified centre for abortion has a long waiting time. It certainly is not the case. In case of medical abortion, you will receive the safe abortion pills the same day, i.e. during your first appointment. In most cases, vacuum aspiration and D & E are also performed on the same day. So, there is no waiting, at least not at BGH.

#10. What are the complications I may face?

At BGH, all the abortions are conducted in the safest possible manner. And there are only rare chances of getting any complication. Even in events of complications, our expert abortion medical team is well trained to handle them safely and timely.

However, if you tend to visit an uncertified centre for your abortion, or facilities without the needed expertise, the complications can be grave. Firstly, it is illegal. Secondly, they may not follow the guidelines for safe abortion procedures and there may be complications like trauma, damage to internal organs, haemorrhage, incomplete abortion and infections. And the most important thing is that they are not well trained to handle such emergency situations to attend to the complications.

#11.  What is the cost of abortion? 

The cost of abortion in Bangalore is based on patient specific factors such as the abortion procedure, number of weeks of pregnancy, patient medical history, medical facilities and patient specific requirements.  For more details about the factors involved in abortion cost click here.

The Dos:

• If you get unexpected news of pregnancy, the first thing is, ‘Stay calm, do not panic.’
• It is better to contact, schedule your appointment, and visit the MTP Certified hospital for abortion as early as possible. The earlier you visit, the simpler and the less risky your abortion method will be.

The MTP Certified hospital will not only have the required team of gynaecologists and medical support personnel who have the focused expertise and experience with abortion procedures, but also the full range of medical facilities required to safety handle all abortion procedures.

• Take prescribed supplements to make for blood loss and hormonal imbalance.
• Consume the suggested healthy and nutritious diet meal plans to recover quickly after the abortion.
• After the abortion, before resuming normal sexual activity, consult the gynaecologist at the hospital before taking any oral contraceptives. An expert will guide you to the best contraceptive option that can suit you without harming your physical or mental health in any manner.

The Don’ts: 

• Getting an abortion done is the first thought that may appear on your mind. But, by no means try performing self-abortion at home. The abortion risks involved and damage that might follow may be irreversible.
• Do not buy abortion pills online or at a pharmacy. Pills taken without the prescription and supervision of a gynecologist at an MTP Certified Centre, are not only dangerous, but also illegal. Pharmacies cannot prescribe or provide MTP pills over the counter without prescription. Gynecologists cannot perform abortion / MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) at any private hospital that is not MTP Certified.
• Do not get an abortion by gynaecologists that do not have the needed abortion procedural experience and expertise, as well as the full range of medical facilities present at a Comprehensive Abortion Care MTP Certified Hospital, that is required to handle any complications that may arise.
• Do not try to get an abortion at an uncertified centre. It may pose grave risks to your reproductive health and there may be complications after the abortion procedure. The damage can be permanent and also life-threatening.
• Do not fall victim to quacks or advise from non-professional acquaintances.
• Do not delay in getting medical assistance from the professionals.

Abortion for unmarried in Bangalore:

Getting pregnant outside of a marriage union can be a stressful issue for many women. Apart from the physical stress, the surrounding stigma adds to the anxiety.

We understand the extreme stress you may be undergoing and apprehensions you might be having for an abortion procedure. And to relieve your stress and anxiety, our team of professional experts at Bangalore Genesis Hospital (BGH) in Bangalore India will ensure the safest abortion procedure possible for you. 

At BGH, abortion procedures are performed professionally regardless of personal life and marital status of women. We empathize with you for all kinds of physical, mental and emotional stress you might be going through.

We understand your concerns, we respect your choices and we do not judge your preferences. We seek answers only to the questions relevant to your health and not to your privacy. To us, you as a human and your health as our patient is the only priority.

We at Bangalore Genesis Hospital assure:

• We are a recognized, certified and accredited MTP centre equipped with all the facilities necessary for providing comprehensive abortion care.
• Abortion premises and all pieces of equipment are hygienic and sterilized before and after every procedure.
• Our well trained and experienced healthcare providers will ensure a safe abortion.
• Your details will be kept private and confidential.
• You will receive caring, comforting, compassionate and non-judgmental treatment from all the medical staff.
• You will receive our post-abortion care services until complete recovery.

If you are unmarried, your pregnancy is unwanted, and it is determined that an abortion is your next step, please do not delay getting help from our expert and experienced medical abortion team.

You can proceed confidently without hesitation to make an appointment for abortion in Bangalore by calling us, messaging us or via WhatsApp. We are here to address your queries and to restore your health and well-being. 

Related Posts: 

• Abortion Pills in Bangalore
• Surgical Abortion in Bangalore
• Cost of Abortion in Bangalore
• Where to get an abortion in Bangalore