Pregnancy has never been seen as medically dangerous as birth, although during the Soviet period both, birth and pregnancy, became potentially more ‘dangerous’ than earlier because of the impact of the language of obstetrics on risk and pathology. As a young surgeon reflected:
"I must admit, I’ve never seen a normal birth. During my studies in obstetrics, it just happened that while I was in the maternity hospital to see a delivery there were none. (..) The only deliveries I’ve seen in my life are caesareans I’ve performed myself. How can I possibly have a valid perspective on birth? Books consist only of pathologies and complications."

[..]

This view allowed women to perceive abortion as a means of contraception. [..] I heard an extreme case of these views on pregnancy from a woman who worked as a prostitute. She used pregnancy itself for providing contraception. After giving birth she left her baby behind. For her having an abortion was a nuisance since soon afterwards she would get pregnant again. Pregnancy gave her more assurance of not getting pregnant and freed her from the troubles of contraception.