Opening the Dialogue: A First-of-Its-Kind Exploration into Ethics of Termination of Pregnancy

To evaluate the perspectives and practices of Paediatricians and Obstetricians in Pakistan regarding termination of pregnancy (TOP).

A cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Paediatrics, Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from January to March 2024.

Convenience sampling was used to recruit 69 participants from the paediatrics and obstetrics departments in various healthcare settings in Pakistan. A structured questionnaire was developed by reviewing relevant literature and administered electronically using Google Forms. The participants were contacted through professional networks, associations, and email listservs. The questionnaire comprised four sections: Demographic information, knowledge evaluation, attitude assessment, and practice-related exploration. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate frequency and percentages.

A significant number of participants, 51 (73.9%), had not attended any TOP-related talks or workshops. More than 90% of study participants believed that both spouses should provide consent for TOP, and 52 (75.4%) were in favour of TOP post-ensoulment due to severe foetal anomalies. However, 46 (66.7%) participants were against TOP and considered themselves pro-life.

The area needs more focus during teaching at both undergraduate as well as postgraduate levels as this study shares a very clear picture that residents and consultants lack knowledge of the basic definition of the concepts of TOP.

Induced abortion, Beginning of human life, Paediatrics, Obstetrics, Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice.