Nina was just 19 when her husband’s family forced her to terminate her first pregnancy at home. Decades later, she still carries the trauma: “It left a mark on my life that I will never forget.” Her story is far from unique. Many Armenian women have faced pressure from partners or families to end pregnancies, often without a voice in the decision.
Unsafe and Hidden Abortions
Official statistics show over 9,000 abortions registered in Armenia in 2024, a slight rise from the previous year. But these figures reflect only legal, medical procedures. Countless abortions occur outside clinics—at home, through unregulated pills or dangerous folk methods. Such cases often lead to hemorrhage, infertility, or even death.
Despite strict regulations requiring prescriptions, abortion pills are still obtained through informal networks or smuggled from abroad. Doctors warn that using them without medical supervision is highly dangerous.
Law and Practice
Armenia’s law permits abortion on request up to 12 weeks, and in specific cases (medical or social grounds) up to 22 weeks. Since 2016, medication abortions have been allowed until the 8th week, but only in licensed facilities. A three-day “waiting period” is required after counseling.
Officials argue this prevents impulsive decisions, yet women’s rights advocates stress that mandatory counseling is often biased and does not change women’s choices. Instead, restrictions may drive them to unsafe alternatives.
Health and Psychological Impact
Abortions, particularly unsafe or repeated ones, can lead to infertility. A UN survey found that more than 10% of Armenian women who had abortions later failed to conceive. Doctors report steady numbers of patients with complications ranging from uterine scarring to the removal of reproductive organs.
Psychologists emphasize the deep emotional burden: even when legal and medically safe, abortion is a stressful, painful experience that may leave lasting psychological scars.
Lack of Sexual Education
Experts agree that many abortions stem from poor sexual education and limited access to contraception. Half of Armenian women and over half of men surveyed have never used modern contraceptives. Financial barriers and men’s refusal to use condoms worsen the problem.
“People often don’t even understand how pregnancy happens,” says blogger Tereza Panchoian, who has been raising awareness on sexual education for years.
Between Stigma and Rights
Abortion remains taboo in Armenia, with schools avoiding comprehensive sex education. Women’s advocates stress that women should not only have the right to terminate a pregnancy, but also the right to motherhood—free from coercion or stigma.
Nina’s story captures this struggle. After being forced into abortion as a teenager, she later fought to keep a pregnancy despite family opposition: “My husband didn’t speak to me until the baby was born. But I resisted and had my child—who gave me a second life.”
This article and visuals were originally created in Armenian by Maria Khachatryan
The English summary and the main image were both created using artificial intelligence tools, based on the original article written in Armenian.
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First Published: 19/09/2025
