"But they treat you as if you are a criminal, as if you made a mistake and you need to pay for it."

Abortion is legal in Armenia until the 12th week and doctors are legally required to provide the service. On average, there are between 8000 and 8500 abortions performed every year in the country.

But the Armenian Ministry of Health told Chai Khana that the government has a "negative" attitude toward abortions, with the focus on providing birth control rather than abortion services.

That means it can be difficult for women to receive an abortion, despite the law, Poghosyan notes.

She adds that even though the law allows women to have abortion, very often it is not accessible or women face unnecessary obstacles due to the way the medical staff behaves or treats the women who seek the service.

“It starts from how the health professionals treat the pregnant woman and what questions they address. They try to convince women that it is not the right decision; they even compare abortion with murder. In addition, during the ultrasound examination, they turn on the sound of the beating heart. It definitely affects women,” Poghosyan says.