Abortion, a term often discussed with grave significance in the fields of individual rights and health, has been in the news recently due to new guidelines introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO). Aimed at preventing over 25 million unsafe abortions annually, these recommendations incorporate several simple interventions that improve the quality of care provided to women and girls. The guidelines also aim to strengthen national policies and programs related to contraception, family planning, and abortion services in interested countries.
The Global Status of Abortions
Globally, there is a considerable dearth in safe abortion provisions resulting in the loss of around 13,865 to 38,940 lives annually. The burden of unsafe abortions largely falls on developing countries, which account for approximately 97% of such instances. Countries with stringent abortion laws witness more unsafe abortions than those with lenient laws. Asia, particularly South and Central Asia, leads the tally of unsafe abortions, followed by Africa and Latin America respectively. The abortion rates are highest among low-income nations that have strict laws against abortion care.
New Guidelines on Abortion Care by WHO
Under the new guidelines by WHO, task sharing by healthcare workers, access to medical abortion pills, and dissemination of accurate information to all those who need it are promoted. An increased emphasis is placed on telemedicine, which has played a significant role during the Covid-19 pandemic in ensuring access to family planning and abortion services. WHO also underscores the need to eliminate needless political barriers like criminalization, obligatory waiting periods before an abortion, third-party authorization, and limitations on who can perform abortions. These hindrances could result in unwanted delays in getting treatment and expose women and girls to risky abortions, stigma, and other health complications, apart from jeopardizing their education and work opportunities.
Creating an Enabling Environment
In response to the assertion that banning abortions would reduce their occurrence, WHO has suggested that it only pushes women and girls towards unsafe practices. Instead, creating an environment that facilitates access to care and improves health outcomes is the cornerstone of comprehensive abortion care. This favorable environment encompasses respect for human rights with supportive legal and policy frameworks, availability and accessibility of information, and a robust universally accessible and affordable health system.
Steps Taken by India to Ensure Safe Abortions
In India, the Government ensures safe and Comprehensive Abortion Care (CAC) services for women through the RMNCH+A (Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health) program under the National Health Mission. Additional measures include capacity building of medical officers and health workers, certification of private and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) to provide CAC services, and supply of Nischay Pregnancy detection kits for early pregnancy detection. The recently amended Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, 2021 expands access to safe and legal abortion services on numerous grounds.
The Road Ahead
A legal and safe abortion is an important aspect of sexual and reproductive equality and a significant public health issue. It needs protection as a crucial facet of women’s right to bodily integrity, right to life, and equality. The silence surrounding unsafe abortions not only leads to women’s deaths but also masks significant concerns like the barriers for adolescent girls to access reproductive health services, including abortion services. As such, it’s an issue that demands urgent attention in order to build a just society free of discrimination.
