Russia: Over 500 Private Clinics Cease Abortion Services

Russia, February 4, 2025

Photo: ria.ru

Hundreds of private clinics throughout Russia have voluntarily refused to perform abortions, and there is hope that the barbaric procedure will be completely outlawed in private clinics this year, says the Chairman of the Patriarchal Commission on Family Issues, Protection of Motherhood and Childhood.

Speaking at the annual Christmas Educational Readings at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral last week, Fr. Feodor Lukianov stated that according to the data available to him, there are 532 private clinics that no longer perform abortions, reports RIA-Novosti.

“In this new year, we must finally remove abortions from private clinics, putting them under state control,” Fr. Feodor said. “This will be a serious step toward ending child killings and stimulating birth rates. The bill to transfer abortions from private clinics to state control will definitely be adopted with appropriate revisions.”

At the same time, abortions are performed for free with the state’s compulsory medical insurance (upon request through the first 12 weeks of pregnancy; in cases of rape and certain other circumstances up to 22 weeks; or at any time for medical reasons).

The practice of private clinics voluntarily stopping abortions is “bearing wonderful results,” the priest said. “In the Republic of Crimea, where all private clinics have refused to perform abortions, we see that the number of women who decided to continue their pregnancies has increased significantly because they went to state clinics.”

Fr. Feodor also drew attention to the numerical predominance of clinics licensed for abortion over maternity hospitals. “This is a crime against Russia’s future,” he lamented.

Earlier that same day, a number of prominent Russian scientists and medical professionals came forward with an initiative to ban abortions in private clinics and explained why human life should be legally protected from the moment of conception.

Representatives of Russian and foreign NGOs also International Declaration on Family Protection signed at Moscow’s Christ the Savior CathedralAccording to the document, family values “must be reliably protected by society and state.”