The World Health Organization estimates that there are approximately 73 million abortions worldwide each year. Six out of every 10 pregnancies (60%) are unintended, and 29% of all pregnancies end in induced abortion.

Abortion care is included in the 2020 list of essential health services published by the World Health Organization.

Abortion, or termination of pregnancy, is a health care service that can be provided safely and effectively by health workers, using medication or surgery.

Medical abortion can be self-managed by a pregnant woman outside of a health care facility (for example, at home) within the first 12 months of pregnancy. But for this, the right knowledge, quality medicines and the support of a trained health worker are required.

All three elements of comprehensive abortion care should be included in the services: education, abortion management and post-abortion care. You can search online for countries that have such abortion care. Nepal is one of the South Asian countries that has such abortion care.

Abortion is a safe health intervention if it is performed by a trained health worker using a method recommended by the World Health Organization, within the recommended time, and using a method.

However, not all women facing unintended pregnancies receive comprehensive abortion care. Therefore, they often resort to unsafe abortion services.