Market Survey of Abortifacients to Explore Unethical Issues

The aim of the study was to explore unethical issues of abortifacients used in the market of Rajkot city in Gujarat. A prospective market survey study involving retailers, wholesalers and doctors (M.D.-Gynec) were selected in Rajkot city located in different areas. They were explained about the objective of the study and given a validated questionnaire. The questionnaire included the questions regarding most commonly used allopathic and ayurvedic abortifacients (abortion pills), % sale of allopathic verses ayurvedic drugs, % sale of drugs on prescription, degree of doctors prescribe the abortion medicines, age factor of patients, sale data in respect of month, most commonly side effects seen in patients due to usage of self medicated abortion pills, number of self medicated patients comes for treatment per month etc. This study highlights commonly used self medicated abortifacient drugs in the patient with marital status and age which gives many types of serious side effects. As per doctors opinion that ayurvedic abortion pills are not effective in the process of abortion. While in market survey ayurvedic abortion pills are more used than the allopathic abortion pills by patients. Hence detailed and scientifically designed research on ayurvedic abortifacients for its effectiveness in the abortion process and to discover the seriousness of side effects occurred on the usage of self medicated abortifacients by general public to save the public health is highly required.