International Safe Abortion Day

HRP and partners work together to prevent precarious abortion in the context of COVID-19.

During the current pandemic, International Safe Abortion Day is a timely reminder that access to legal and safe abortion is key to everyone’s right to achieve the highest standards of sexual and reproductive health.

HRP (UNDP / UNFPA / UNICEF / WHO / World Bank Special Program for Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction) works with a global range of partners to prevent precarious abortion and support the health and well-being of women and girls. rights in the context of COVID-19.

Putting words into action: teaming up to prevent precarious abortion

The collaboration brings together partners including DKT International, HRP, Ipas, the International Federation of Planned Parenthood, Marie Stopes International, Pathfinder and PSI: organizations dedicated to prevention unsafe abortion and a devastating range of health risks can lead to.

“Sexual and reproductive health goods and services are already limited in many settings and are becoming more difficult to access during COVID-19. It is important that we combine our efforts, ”explained Dr. Bela Ganatra, Head of the Precarious Abortion Prevention Service at HRP and the WHO’s Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

“Access to modern contraception and comprehensive abortion care are crucial to avoid an increase in unintended pregnancies and subsequent unsafe abortions. Stronger partnerships at the global, regional and national levels promote successful strategies to ensure these basic health services and human rights. ”

Chairing the HRP and partners, the goal of the collaboration is to support effective responses to sexual and reproductive health needs with an emphasis on service delivery and supply chain in four key areas:

• Adjustments and indicators: identifying successful approaches to maintaining and scaling safe abortion services during and after the COVID-19 pandemic

• Guidelines and recommendations: review existing and new resources to avoid duplication of guidance among partners

• Mitigation strategies: assessment of where and what measures are needed to reduce disruption in access to safe services and abortion supplies

• Procurement and financing: an overview of the impact of funding gaps on service delivery and the availability of medical abortion

Disruption of sexual and reproductive health services puts lives at risk

Every year almost half of all pregnancies – 121 million – are unintentional. This requires strengthening contraceptive services and access to comprehensive abortion care. Because abortion services are limited in time by gestational and legal restrictions, women and adolescents seeking abortion often resort to unsafe abortion when they cannot access safe abortion.

Therefore, delaying abortion care during COVID-19 can lead to increased morbidity and mortality.

All persons who may become pregnant and seek medical care for abortion – women, girls and persons of different sexual identities – should be provided with the necessary information to make informed decisions about their reproductive health, rights, bodies and future.

WHO Guidelines, Maintenance of basic health services: operational guidelines for the COVID-19 context recommends that states should ensure continued access to contraceptive services, as well as safe abortion to the full extent permitted by law throughout the pandemic.

Telemedicine and the opportunity to leave no one behind

Abortions are safe when carried out by a method recommended by the WHO that corresponds to the duration of the pregnancy and the person who has the necessary skills. Unfortunately, the latest available estimates show this about 45% of all abortions globally were unsafe.

Among the many barriers that limit access to safe abortion care, i lack of qualified service providers it is one of the most critical: in many countries, women in rural areas and those who depend on the public sector are particularly affected.

Telemedicine, which was promoted to support the delivery of health services during COVID-19, could be a long-term opportunity to protect the sexual and reproductive health and well-being of every person far into the future.

Evidence has shown that when medications become available with a source of accurate information and access to a health care provider if needed or desired at any stage of the process, self-medication can provide key support in providing access to safe abortion care.

“Removing an unsafe abortion is one of the key components WHO Global Reproductive Health Strategy”, Explained Ian Askew, Director of HRP and the Department of Health and Protection of SRH.

“COVID-19 teaches us so many lessons about digital health, self-management and opportunities for better service delivery to achieve this – now, in the future and in future health emergencies. ”