Sharmila Pariyar, 23, a pregnant woman from Nareshwor village, is worried about the condition of her baby after it is born.
As people in her village believe that earth tremors cause defects in babies still in the womb, her family has taken her to a free health camp for checkups. She returned home after health workers at the camp said the baby's condition was all right, going by the examinations.Likewise, Dilip Shrestha from Bunkot village took his pregnant wife to a clinic at district headquarters.
"Although I didn't believe about the effect of quakes on babies inside the womb, my family and neighbors compelled me to take my wife to the clinic," said Shrestha.
According to Dr Sandip Gorkhali of Aama Ba Hospital, over five pregnant women are visiting the hospital every day and asking for abortion services, following the earthquake.
"More than 60 pregnant women have so far visited my hospital and sought abortions," said Dr Gorkhali. "We examined them, carried out ultrasounds, and sent them back home after counselling them.
The women visiting the hospital have expressed worries about the safe delivery of their babies, he informed.
Government health facilities and private clinics in the district are crowded with pregnant women who fear defects in their newborn. According to heath workers, the pregnant women visiting health facilities have not only undergone ultrasound tests but also gone ahead with abortions.
In some cases, couples have had pregnancies aborted without informing other members the family, they informed.
Although there are legal restrictions on abortions, medical clinics have reportedly carried out abortions for money.
Pregnant women seeking abortions hardly visit government health facilities, fearing trouble with the law. Records of abortions carried out by private clinics are not made public as these are carried out in surreptitiously as per mutual agreement between the pregnant party and health workers. As a result, there is no exact data on pregnant women who have opted for abortion.
Meanwhile, Dr Dipak Kafle, a gynecologist, told Republica that there is no scientific reason why earthquakes should adversely affect a pregnancy. However, there may be a shortage of food and drinking water and lack of proper care in the aftermath of an earthquake, and these could have an adverse effect.
"Whenever pregnant women rush out into open spaces during earthquakes and aftershocks, it may adversely affect the pregnancies," said Dr Kafle.
Furthermore, pregnant women living in tents to avert earthquake danger need special care, he added.
Related story
Unsafe abortion continues although abortion legally permitted:...
