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Abortion in Iraq

Abortion in Iraq is illegal.[1][2]

It is difficult to obtain sociological information about abortions in Iraq because women may be likely to lie about or misrepresent their history with the topic, due to its sensitive nature.[3]

Legality

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Administering or receiving abortions in Iraq is illegal. The legal penalty for either action is no more than a year of imprisonment and a fine. If a woman has an abortion due to shame this is a legally mitigating circumstance that may lessen the penalty.[4]

Reasons for abortions

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One doctor describes that some Iraqi women desire abortions because they believe their child would not live long, due to malnutrition or disease.[5]

Instances of abortions increase due to lack of access to birth control. IUDs are a common method of birth control in Iraq, but increased in price following economic sanctions applied after the Gulf War.[6]

Attitudes towards abortion

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One study of 1302 women in Mosul found that 13.5% had induced an abortion in themselves. [7] Another study, of Iraqi Kurdistan found that 27.7% of women surveyed had had an abortion.[8]

A majority of the surveyed women in Mosul had done so through physical exertion. Women who were more likely to induce abortions included those who were Christian rather than Muslim; Arab rather than Kurdish or Turkmen; urban rather than rural or suburban, women with unemployed rather than employed husbands; living in a nuclear family rather than a extended family; younger; educated; or not on contraceptives.[9]

The survey in Iraqi Kurdistan found that women were more likely to have had an abortion if they were older, had more children, and less educated.[10]

A majority of gynecologists in Iraqi Kurdistan in one study felt that women should not have the right to choose to induce an abortion; that induced abortion is murder; and that induced abortion should not be legal. 41% of the surveyed gynecologists believed that induced abortion is amoral. 97% reported that they willingly provide care to patients seeking medical assistance after an abortion, including those performed illegally.[11]

Epidemiology

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Some of the reported complications from unsafe abortions in Iraq include sepsis, incomplete abortion, and bleeding.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "A look at some of the world's toughest abortion laws". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  2. ^ "The World's Abortion Laws". Center for Reproductive Rights. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  3. ^ Al-Ridhwany, Hajir; Aljawadi, Asma; Abduljawad, Muthanna (2018). "Use of induced abortion for birth control by mothers in Iraq". Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. 24 (7): 644–652. doi:10.26719/2018.24.7.644. PMID 30215474. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  4. ^ "Section Four: Abortion". Penal Code 111 of 1969 as Amended to 14 March 2010. 14 March 2010. p. 77. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  5. ^ Sibbald, Barbara (13 May 2003). "For Iraqi women, more war means more uncertainty". Canadian Medical Association Journal. 168 (10): 1311. PMC 154208. PMID 12743091.
  6. ^ Sibbald, Barbara (13 May 2003). "For Iraqi women, more war means more uncertainty". Canadian Medical Association Journal. 168 (10): 1311. PMC 154208. PMID 12743091.
  7. ^ Al-Ridhwany, Hajir; Aljawadi, Asma; Abduljawad, Muthanna (2018). "Use of induced abortion for birth control by mothers in Iraq". Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. 24 (7): 644–652. doi:10.26719/2018.24.7.644. PMID 30215474. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  8. ^ Mohammed Azo, Fatema; AKBAY, Cuma (2016). "Prevalence and risk factors of abortion among a sample of married women in Kurdistan Region of Iraq". Zanco Journal of Medical Sciences. 20 (3): 1424–1432. doi:10.15218/zjms.2016.0041. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  9. ^ Al-Ridhwany, Hajir; Aljawadi, Asma; Abduljawad, Muthanna (2018). "Use of induced abortion for birth control by mothers in Iraq". Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal. 24 (7): 644–652. doi:10.26719/2018.24.7.644. PMID 30215474. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  10. ^ Mohammed Azo, Fatema; AKBAY, Cuma (2016). "Prevalence and risk factors of abortion among a sample of married women in Kurdistan Region of Iraq". Zanco Journal of Medical Sciences. 20 (3): 1424–1432. doi:10.15218/zjms.2016.0041. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  11. ^ Khalid, Gashaw; Abubakir, Majeed Saleh; Shabila, Nazar; Bogren, Malin; Shakely, Delér (16 November 2023). "Attitudes towards induced abortion among gynecologists in Kurdistan region of Iraq". BMC Womens' Health. 23 (1): 609. doi:10.1186/s12905-023-02768-4. PMC 10655302. PMID 37974142.
  12. ^ Khalid, Gashaw; Abubakir, Majeed Saleh; Shabila, Nazar; Bogren, Malin; Shakely, Delér (16 November 2023). "Attitudes towards induced abortion among gynecologists in Kurdistan region of Iraq". BMC Womens' Health. 23 (1): 609. doi:10.1186/s12905-023-02768-4. PMC 10655302. PMID 37974142.