Safe abortion: the public health rationale

Publication date: Available online 20 May 2019Source: Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & GynaecologyAuthor(s): Mahmoud F. FathallaAbstractIt is now more than 50 years since the World Health Assembly recognized abortion as a serious public health problem. The challenge still stands. Addressing the problem of unsafe abortion is a national and global public health imperative, dictated by the magnitude of the problem and its impact on individuals and society, inequity of the burden of disease, and an international consensus of the global health community. Almost every abortion death and disability could be prevented through cost-effective public health interventions, including sexuality education, use of effective contraception, provision of safe, legal induced abortion, and quality humane post-abortion care. Safe abortion continues to be a challenge to public health because of diverse national restrictive legal regulations, prevailing stigma and lack of political commitment. Health professionals have a social responsibility to educate policymakers, legislators and the public at large about adverse impacts of restrictive abortion regulations, laws and policies on women’s health.
Source: Best Practice and Research Clinical Obstetrics and Gynaecology - Category: OBGYN Source Type: research