WHO's New Abortion Guideline: Highlights of Its Law and Policy Recommendations
2022
This fact sheet from the Center for Reproductive Rights summarizes key highlights from the World Health Organizations' (WHO)’s Abortion Care Guideline issued in March 2022. The guideline emphasizes that abortion is a common procedure globally, with six out of ten unintended pregnancies and three of ten of all pregnancies ending in induced abortion. However, only just over half of all abortions are considered safe – reinforcing established evidence that the legal status of abortion doesn’t affect a woman’s likelihood of seeking an abortion, but does affect her access to safe abortion. The guideline offers 54 evidence-based recommendations for diverse stakeholders involved in sexual and reproductive health, including a much stronger human rights focus than previous WHO guidance. WHO has previously included comprehensive abortion care in the list of essential health services, also tying access to abortion care to Sustainable Development Goal target 3.8 on universal health coverage (UHC). UHC includes access to quality essential services—like safe abortion and more specifically, self-managed abortion.
WHO's New Abortion Guideline: Highlights of Its Law and Policy Recommendations
Source:
WHO’s New Abortion Guideline: Highlights of Its Law and Policy Recommendations. Center for Reproductive Rights 2022. https://reproductiverights.org/factsheet-who-abortion-guideline.