Unintended pregnancy and abortion in India: Country profile report

A review of literature and analysis of large surveys were carried out with funding from the STEP-UP consortium led by Population Council to build a coherent body of robust research based evidence on the situation in India in the context of unmet need for FP and safe abortion services. Focused states for the study were 3 backward states: Bihar Odisha Madhya Pradesh (MP). Review of published literature and reanalysis of existing large scale survey data were employed. The review of literature is confined to peer-reviewed articles and reports published in the last ten years (2002-2012). Since published articles referring to the study states were limited few articles referring to other states were also included for analysis. Relevant state level data of women 15-34 years were extracted from District level household and facility survey (DLHS) 2007-08 and National Family Health survey 2005-06. Furthermore the results from various large surveys like the landscaping study in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar during 2009-11 Youth in India: Situation and Needs Study (2007-08) (Youth Study) carried out in six states of the country and fact sheets of Annual Health Survey (AHS) 2010-11 for the 3 states were also used. Youth study was done among unmarried and married women and men age 15 to 24 years and married men age 15 to 29 years (since there were very few married men in the age group 15-24 years. (Excerpts)