"The clause in the act which says failure of contraception can be a reason to terminate a pregnancy is used for everything," says Gupte.

As the government is interested in population control, the process becomes easier.

According to Gupte, some public hospitals routinely force a woman to use contraception after an abortion is performed. "Contraception should be a matter of choice, not something that is forced upon you," she says.

Misuse of the MTP Act

Often, an abortion is performed on the basis of the sex of the foetus. "People are using MTP to identify sex of the foetus and undergo a sex-selective abortion," says Gupte.

Because of this a lot of people say that the MTP Act should be modified. But Gupte finds it unnecessary. "The doctors who perform a sex-selective operation should be punished under the PC-PNDT Act," she opines.

Under the PC-PNDT Act, determining the sex of the foetus and pre-selecting the sex of the baby is a crime.

"Access to safe abortion should be universalised for all women in India and not be curtailed. A woman need not explain as to why she needs an abortion," Gupte suggests.

Having more abortions is not good for the woman, she says, therefore there is requirement of a society where social need for an abortion is reduced but the right to abortion remains.

According to her, this can be achieved through equal property for women, removal of the notion of illegitimacy and the removal of stigma related to single parenting, and reducing unwanted pregnancies through safe, effective contraceptives that encourage male participation.

"Abortion is not a method of contraception and it is definitely not a way to control the population. But it is the right of every woman," states Gupte.