Moscow, January 22, 2025
Photo: ria.ru
Nearly 40,000 pregnant women chose to continue their pregnancies in 2024 after receiving counseling and information about social support measures, according to Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko’s announcement at a reproductive medicine congress.
The Ministry’s expanded counseling program reached over 260,000 pregnant women last year, providing individualized information about available social support based on their specific circumstances. Additionally, more than 11,000 medical professionals received training in new psychological counseling approaches for women facing reproductive choices.
The initiative is part of Russia’s ongoing efforts to address its historically high abortion rates. Official statistics show a gradual decline, with 467,586 recorded pregnancy terminations in 2023, down from 503,809 in 2022. However, experts suggest the actual numbers could be significantly higher—potentially twice the official figures, which would amount to as many as 3,000 terminated pregnancies daily.
While the declining trend is noteworthy, Russia continues to maintain one of the world’s highest abortion rates, a legacy of Soviet-era policies when abortion was commonly used as a primary form of birth control. The current government has implemented various measures to reduce these numbers, combining increased access to family planning services with social support programs for expectant mothers.
“Thanks to all of this, nearly 40,000 patients chose to continue their pregnancies in 2024,” Minister Murashko stated, highlighting the impact of the enhanced counseling services implemented throughout the country’s healthcare system.
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