The World Health Organization (WHO) had updated its 200-page "Abortion Care Guidelines" in an appeal to fully decriminalize abortion globally.
The WHO called the updated document "lifesaving care." The Guidelines suggested that no women or girls should be imprisoned for discontinuing their pregnancy and the same goes with the abortion providers.
Craig Lissner, acting Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, reiterated how women and girls would suffer due to unsafe abortion. "Being able to obtain a safe abortion is a crucial part of health care," United Nations reported. This is the reason why WHO recommended safe abortion and family planning services be available to those in need. WHO guidelines assured the medical procedure is "simple and safe."
"It's vital that an abortion is safe in medical terms", said Dr. Bela Ganatra, Head of WHO's Prevention of Unsafe Abortion Unit.
The WHO encouraged the governments to be compliant with the updated provisions enclosed with the abortion care guidelines tapping cases like "gestational age limits, mandatory waiting period, third-party authorization requirements, and provider restrictions."
"But that's not enough on its own. As with any other health services, abortion care needs to respect the decisions and needs of women and girls, ensuring that they are treated with dignity and without stigma or judgment. No one should be exposed to abuse or harms like being reported to the police or put in jail because they have sought or provided abortion care," she added.
The document also suggested that governments should ensure telemedicine for medical abortion pills should be accessible for use "where appropriate." The health organization supported that telemedicine had "helped support access to abortion and family planning services during the COVID-19 pandemic."
During the outbreak of COVID-19, the United Kingdom was one of the countries that allowed women to take abortion pills. After an e-consultation with an abortion provider, abortion pills will be delivered to patients' homes via post.
In February 2022, Oklahoman Senator James Lankford appealed to the Food and Drug Administration to repeal December 2021 decision on legalizing abortion pills. The senator cited November 2021 longitudinal study showing an increased abortion-related emergency room visits by more than 500 percent through 2015-2022 mail-order abortion pills. He said, "Removing the in-person dispensing requirements from the drug's Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) and permitting mail-order dispensing of this drug will increase risks to women."
According to WHO, restriction of access to abortions does not mean lesser abortions to take place. Constraints would only urge women and girls towards unsafe abortion practices, said WHO. Based on their study, countries legalizing abortion have a safety record for nearly 9 in 10 abortions, while countries restricting abortion have 1 safe out of 4 abortions.
"The evidence is clear - if you want to prevent unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions, you need to provide women and girls with a comprehensive package of sexuality education, accurate family planning information and services, and access to quality abortion care," Dr. Ganatra added.
