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Abortions ban unlikely to improve Russia’s demography — minister

In case of abortions ban, Russia will have much more negative effects than positive, says the labor minister

SOCHI, September 30 /TASS/. Abortions ban is unlikely to improve Russia’s demography but is sure to cause many negative effects, Maxim Topilin, Russian minister of labor and social protection, told TASS on the sidelines of the Sochi-2016 International Investment Forum on Friday. He said that in his view efforts should be focused on preventing abortions during the first pregnancy.

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"No. I do not think it would be right to ban abortions. We are going to have much more negative effects than positive," Topilin said when asked if an abortions ban could improve the demographic situation in the country.

"I do not know how people cannot see what is obvious. It is hard for me to understand them. There is no need for me to explain that the ban will increase the number of illegal abortions, which often cause the death of (unborn) children and their mothers. The explanatory work should be done in advance. We need to prevent the abortions of first-born babies to avoid the risks that after them the mother will lose her reproductive ability for good. The main ideological and psychological effort should be directed at achieving this goal - explain, explain and explain," Topilin said.

Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said earlier on Friday that the ministry’s special working group would work out a well-considered and balanced decision on abortions before the end of 2016.

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