Trends in abortion-related behaviour of Russians in the context of demographic policy

Abstract

The article discusses results of an expert survey conducted in February-May 2021 in ten constituent entities of the Russian Federation in order to analyze trends in abortion-related behaviour of Russians, as well as to develop recommendations for a comprehensive special program to prevent and reduce abortion rates in the Russian Federation. The conducted expert interviews (n=15) with representatives of socially oriented non-profit organizations (SO NPO) and specialists of health care facilities (gynecologists, psychologists) made it possible to structure the areas of activity in the field of pre-abortion counseling in the constituent entities under study and identify effective institutional resources. The regions under study significantly differed in both socio-cultural characteristics and technologies for organizing pre-abortion counseling. The article doesn’t distinguish between the concepts of “pre-abortion” and “prior to abortion” counseling using them synonymously. The study showed that some experts (with a personal position that abortions are unacceptable without medical indications) are reluctant to use the concepts of “pre-abortion” and “prior to abortion” counseling and prefer to use the concept of “anti-abortion” counselling instead, which, according to hermeneutics, fills this concept with a different meaning, highlighting the purpose of the technologies used. The following problems have been identified: difficulties in collecting statistical data in private health care facilities, insufficient number of qualified specialists, and lack of a unified methodology for conducting pre-abortion counselling. According to the data obtained, the abortion-related behaviour of Russians is being transformed under the influence of new medical technologies. Measures of state support for families with children hardly change the abortion-related behaviour of Russians.