| Unsafe abortion: global and regional incidence, trends, consequences, and challenges. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 20085681 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
OBJECTIVE: This review aims to provide the latest global and regional estimates of the incidence and trends in induced abortion, both safe and unsafe. A related objective is to document maternal mortality due to unsafe abortion. The legal context of abortion and the international discourse on preventing unsafe abortion are reviewed to highlight policy implications and challenges in preventing unsafe abortion. METHODS AND DATA SOURCES: This review is based on estimates of unsafe abortion and maternal mortality ratios. These estimates are arrived at using the database on unsafe abortion maintained by the World Health Organization. Additional data from the Demographic and Health Surveys and the United Nations Population Division are used for further analysis of abortion and mortality estimates. RESULTS: Each year 42 million abortions are estimated to take place, 22 million safely and 20 million unsafely. Unsafe abortion accounts for 70,000 maternal deaths each year and causes a further 5 million women to suffer temporary or permanent disability. Maternal mortality ratios (number of maternal deaths per 100,000 live births) due to complications of unsafe abortion are higher in regions with restricted abortion laws than in regions with no or few restrictions on access to safe and legal abortion. CONCLUSION: Legal restrictions on safe abortion do not reduce the incidence of abortion. A woman's likelihood to have an abortion is about the same whether she lives in a region where abortion is available on request or where it is highly restricted. While legal and safe abortions have declined recently, unsafe abortions show no decline in numbers and rates despite their being entirely preventable. Providing information and services for modern contraception is the primary prevention strategy to eliminate unplanned pregnancy. Providing safe abortion will prevent unsafe abortion. In all cases, women should have access to post-abortion care, including services for family planning. The Millennium Development Goal to improve maternal health is unlikely to be achieved without addressing unsafe abortion and associated mortality and morbidity. |
| | |
Authors:
|
Iqbal Shah; Elisabeth Ahman |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: Journal Article; Review |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology Canada : JOGC = Journal d'obst?trique et gyn?cologie du Canada : JOGC Volume: 31 ISSN: 1701-2163 ISO Abbreviation: J Obstet Gynaecol Can Publication Date: 2009 Dec |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2010-01-20 Completed Date: 2010-02-26 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 101126664 Medline TA: J Obstet Gynaecol Can Country: Canada |
Other Details:
|
Languages: eng Pagination: 1149-58 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
|
Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
Abortion, Induced
/
legislation & jurisprudence,
mortality,
statistics & numerical data,
trends* Abortion, Legal / statistics & numerical data Female Humans Incidence Maternal Mortality / trends Pregnancy World Health |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: Reproducibility of First Trimester Three-dimensional Placental Measurements in the Evaluation of Ear...
Next Document: Abdominal Bloating: An Under-recognized Endometriosis Symptom.