Abortion Law in Sri Lanka
Abortion in Sri Lanka is illegal unless the abortion is performed in order to save the life of the mother. There is no exception if the child has a severe birth defect or if the woman was pregnant as a result of rape.
There are very harsh penalties against anyone choosing to violate this law. Anyone found undertaking an abortion faces up to three years in prison and fines.
The punishments are even more severe if the woman is “quick with child” meaning that she is in later stage pregnancy. In this case the penalties are up to seven years in prison and fines.
The penalties for the woman who is having the abortion and the person performing the abortion are the same. With such stiff penalties there are few trained professionals willing to perform illegal abortions.
Some women will choose to avoid this process and go to a clinic outside of their country rather than have an unsafe abortion in Sri Lanka. Often women can turn the trip into medical tourism.
Unsafe Abortion in Sri Lanka
Women from the lower socio-economic class and lower-middle class have few options beyond getting an unsafe abortion. Unfortunately, they visit underground and unlawful abortion clinics and get surgical procedures done in places that are rarely sterile and rarely have trained professionals.
Despite the strict laws there are reports of a high prevalence of unsafe abortion. Unsafe abortion is a very serious issue and one that the government tries to prevent by increasing the availability of family planning services. Even though the government is trying to curb population growth, they have no intention of legalizing abortion, rather they increase the availability of contraception.
Consequences of unsafe Abortion in Sri Lanka
Women who choose to get an unsafe abortion in Sri Lanka face severe medical consequences in addition to the legal consequences they may face. No matter what form of abortion a woman chooses or faces depending on the stage of her pregnancy, it can lead to permanent medical consequences or death.
Women who choose to use abortion pills in Sri Lanka face severe hemorrhaging and internal health issues that will lead to a hospital stay. Once a woman enters the hospital with signs of having attempted an abortion she can be charged.
Women who choose to have an abortion later in their pregnancy face infection, disfigurement of the genital region, infertility and death. With such a high rate of unsafe abortions there is no true account of how many women suffer severe consequences as a result of choosing unsafe abortion.
No woman should feel like she has no other option than to have an unsafe abortion done by someone who has very little knowledge of proper medical abortion procedure. All women should make the right choice to avoid risking their lives to have an abortion.
Avoid an unsafe Abortion in Sri Lanka
One option for women who need to have an abortion in Sri Lanka is to travel outside of the country. Women meeting the applicable conditions who cannot get a safe abortion can visit the medical Abortion Center in India in order to have an abortion that is safe, legal and confidential.
Even though this option may be more expensive it is a much safer alternative than attempting to have an unsafe abortion. The Genesis Abortion Clinic in Bangalore, India offers professional medical abortion service to women meeting the applicable conditions, up to 20 weeks of pregnancy, by experienced gynecologists, in accordance with The World Health Organization prescribed methods and standards.
