Russia's anti-abortion bill needs elaboration

Russia's parliamentary committee for family, women and children is going to elaborate its recently prepared draft law aimed to reduce the level of abortions before submitting it for consideration, committee chairwoman Yelena Mizulina said on Monday.

The current version of the bill suggests that abortions cease being qualified as a medical service, which would allow doctors to refuse to carry out the operation. Only 25 percent of Russians agree with this proposal, Mizulina said.

"We will discuss this issue, it's quite possible that taking into account the public opinion, we'll ditch some of our initial proposals," Mizulina said. "We want to consolidate the society through this issue, not split it."

The draft law also says monthly payments to pregnant women should be revised. At the moment, the figure is 2,000 rubles ($70) a month until birth.

Duma deputies, doctors, sociologists, and economists, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Health and Social Development and the Orthodox Church took part in drafting the bill.

The initiators of the draft hopes its improved version will be considered in the parliament in the beginning of June 2011.

MOSCOW, May 30 (RIA Novosti)