Abstract : Unsafe abortion as a public health issue represents a serious concern to the World Health Organization (WHO). Treatment of complications of such abortions uses a disproportionate share of hospital resources in developing countries, and poorly performed procedures lead to reproductive tract infections and infertility. Data on unsafe abortion, defined as "an abortion not provided through approved facilities and/or persons," are scarce and unreliable given legal constraints. This document presents a complication of available data on the frequency of unsafe abortion and associated mortality extracted from WHO's Maternal Health and Safe Motherhood Program database. The estimates, which must necessarily be viewed as "best guesses," were obtained from hospital studies and adjusted to take into account the country's abortion law. The annual incidence on unsafe abortions worldwide is set at 20 million, for a ratio of one unsafe abortion to seven births. 90% of these procedures occur in developing countries. About 70,000 women die each year from complications of unsafe abortion, and 13% of pregnancy-related deaths are attributable to this procedure. The rate of unsafe abortions/1000 women aged 15-49 years is 26 in Africa, 12 in Asia, 2 in Europe, 41 in Latin America, 17 in Oceania, and 30 in Russia. The rate of mortality from unsafe abortions/1000 live births is 83 in Africa, 47 in Asia, 4 in Europe, 48 in Latin America, 29 in Oceania, and 10 in Russia. Governments are urged to examine the health impact of unsafe abortion, reduce the need for abortion through expanded family planning programs, and frame abortion legislation on the basis of women's health and well-being.
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