The motion to amend the federal law on basic health care by restricting pregnant women’s access to abortions performed outside state-run and municipal health care facilities was filed by legislators from the Russian Nizhny Novgorod region.
A note accompanying the bill says that the motion seeks to "improve the demographic situation in Russia and decrease the number of complications caused by artificial termination of pregnancy."
It says Russia’s demographic policy is aimed at increasing the birth rate, among other measures, including by decreasing the number of abortions.