Vietnam Capital Faces Higher Infertility amid Alarming Adolescent Abortion Rate

Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi has seen a rising rate of abortions among young teenage girls, the alarming situation could lead to a rise in the female infertility rate, the state-run Phu Nu Viet Nam (Vietnam Women) newspaper reported, citing a health official. Hoang Duc Hanh, deputy head of the city’s health department cautioned that “abortions are popular and rampant among juveniles and young girls, which is among the major reasons that drive up the proportion of infertility among women later." Every year Vietnam records about 300,000 cases of abortion at the age of 15-19, of whom 60%-70% are school girls, data of Vietnam Family Planning Association showed. (Phu Nu Viet Nam – Vietnam Women Sept 12 p10)