Four of the five South Indian states reported percentage increases far above the national average. Karnataka recorded 70,241 MTPs in 2024-25, the largest absolute rise in the region.
Published Aug 14, 2025 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 14, 2025 | 7:00 AM
Pregnancy. Representative image.
Synopsis: Abortions in India rose by 67 percent over the past five years, with Telangana recording the sharpest surge at 917.6 percent, from 1,578 cases to 16,059, and all five South Indian states reporting growth well above the national average.
Abortions in India have risen sharply over the past five years, with official data showing a 67 percent increase nationwide and an unprecedented spike in Telangana.
Figures from the Union government’s Health Management Information System (HMIS), presented in Parliament on Tuesday, 12 August, reveal that medical terminations of pregnancy (MTPs) grew from 5,34,008 in 2020-21 to 8,93,372 in 2024-25.
Telangana reported the steepest rise in the country – a 917.6 percent jump from 1,578 cases in 2020-21 to 16,059 in 2024-25 – placing the youngest state at the forefront of a broader surge across South India, where all five major states recorded significant increases.
As of 2024-25, Telangana has 608 authorised public health facilities offering MTP services, while India as a whole operates 12,434 such facilities across all states and Union territories.
Four of the five South Indian states reported percentage increases far above the national average. Karnataka recorded 70,241 MTPs in 2024-25, a 156.9 percent increase from 27,336 in 2020-21 – the largest absolute rise in the region, with 42,905 more cases.
It also has the highest number of authorised MTP facilities in South India, at 1,433 centres.
Tamil Nadu, while posting the region’s lowest percentage increase at 26.5 percent, remains South India’s highest-volume state with 1,01,414 MTPs in 2024-25, up from 80,184 in 2020-21.
Its 21,230-case increase reflects its well-developed healthcare infrastructure, supported by 2,623 authorised facilities – the largest network in the country, more than double that of any other state.
Kerala registered a 203.6 percent rise in MTPs, from 8,525 to 25,884 cases – an increase of 17,359. The state operates 113 authorised facilities, averaging 229 MTPs percent annually.
Andhra Pradesh reported the second-highest percentage increase in South India at 367.7 percent, with cases rising from 2,282 in 2020-21 to 10,676 in 2024-25.
It has 833 authorised facilities, averaging 13 MTPs percent. The sharpest surge occurred in 2021-22, when numbers quadrupled from the previous year before stabilising at current levels.
Combined, the five South Indian states accounted for 2,33,950 MTPs in 2024-25 – 26.2 percent of the national total – with an average growth rate of 250.5 percent, nearly four times the national figure.
They collectively operate 5,010 authorised facilities, making up 40.3 percent of India’s MTP infrastructure.
Experts say the a high number of abortions might be largely due many pregnancies are unintended.
“Abortions remain high because a significant number of pregnancies are unintended, stemming from poor awareness, gaps in reproductive health education, and inconsistent access to contraception,” an Indian Medical Association office bearer in Hyderabad told South First.
“Even when contraceptives are available, many women lack correct knowledge of their use. Social stigma and fears over confidentiality push them away from formal healthcare, while a shortage of trained providers forces many to rely on unsafe clinics or self-administered pills without medical supervision.”
The doctor also pointed to a paradox: greater awareness and economic participation are themselves influencing reproductive decisions.
“More women are part of the workforce and prioritise career growth, stability, and family planning. Rising costs of living – from education to healthcare – make raising even one child financially challenging, and many families consciously opt for smaller families,” he said.
“The pandemic’s economic impact still lingers, and for many, delaying or avoiding childbirth altogether feels like the most practical decision.”
Maharashtra continues to dominate the national landscape, recording 2,07,019 MTPs in 2024-25 – the highest among all states – and retaining its position as India’s volume leader over the past five years.
Despite its numbers, the state operates only 474 authorised facilities, resulting in an average of 437 MTPs per facility annually – the highest utilisation rate in the country. Maharashtra’s caseload increased by 98,380 from its 2020-21 baseline of 1,08,639, marking a 90.5 percent rise.
Tamil Nadu ranks second nationally with 1,01,414 MTPs in 2024-25. Its 2,623 authorised facilities – the largest network in the country – handle an average of 39 MTPs each, highlighting a stark contrast in utilisation rates across states.
Assam follows with 76,642 MTPs across 586 facilities (131 per facility), while Karnataka’s 70,241 cases are distributed across 1,433 facilities (49 per facility).
Rajasthan is fifth with 53,714 MTPs – more than doubling from 20,759 five years earlier – supported by 1,809 facilities, the second-largest network nationally, with an average of 30 MTPs per facility. This density suggests capacity for higher utilisation.
Haryana recorded strong growth, rising from 32,736 to 52,754 MTPs, but operates only 86 facilities, resulting in 613 MTPs per facility – the second-highest rate after Maharashtra.
Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, reported 49,583 MTPs across 575 facilities (86 per facility), while Madhya Pradesh rose from 33,689 to 48,326 across 711 facilities.
Delhi more than doubled its figures from 9,448 to 25,333, achieved through just 52 facilities – an average of 487 MTPs per facility, reflecting the concentration of healthcare services in urban centres.
The data also reveals sharp disparities in infrastructure distribution: Goa operates only five facilities yet performed 3,107 MTPs (621 per facility).
Beyond Telangana’s exceptional 917.6 percent rise, several states posted growth rates far exceeding the national average. Andhra Pradesh’s 367.7 percent increase ranks second, followed by Goa’s 302.9 percent surge from 771 to 3,107 cases.
Delhi recorded a 168.2 percent increase, from 9,448 to 25,333, while Karnataka’s 156.9 percent rise underscores rapid infrastructure expansion. Rajasthan posted a 158.7 percent jump, from 20,759 to 53,714 cases.
Several smaller states and Union territories also registered steep proportional gains: Sikkim grew by 1,022 percent, from 72 to 808 cases; Chandigarh rose by 161.7 percent, from 766 to 2,005; Puducherry increased by 132.4 percent; and Himachal Pradesh by 105.5 percent.
In contrast, West Bengal was the only major state to record a decline, dropping from 36,973 in 2020-21 to 27,068 in 2024-25 – a 26.8 percent fall against the national trend. Gujarat also saw a recent drop, from 14,490 in 2023-24 to 12,272 in 2024-25.
Nationally, MTPs have increased steadily year on year: from 5,34,008 in 2020-21 to 5,93,520 in 2021-22, then 7,11,609 in 2022-23, 8,01,769 in 2023-24, and 8,93,372 in 2024-25. The five-year pattern reflects sustained growth averaging about 13 percent annually.
The 2024-25 figures, marked as provisional, suggest the upward trend continues across most of the country. Between 2020-21 and 2024-25, 28 of India’s 36 states and Union territories recorded increases, while eight saw declines.
States performing more than 50,000 MTPs annually – Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Haryana – now account for around 65 percent of all procedures nationwide, illustrating both population density and the concentration of healthcare infrastructure in larger states.
