Self-Managed Abortion Saves Lives by Andrés Constantin and Katherine Mayall

Outdated laws and regulations continue to limit access to abortion medications such as mifepristone and misoprostol around the world, forcing people to turn to unsafe alternatives that result in preventable deaths. To reduce maternal mortality, governments must trust individuals to make their own reproductive choices.

GENEVA – The World Health Organization estimates that 29 million unsafe abortions take place every year worldwide, which roughly leads to 40,000 preventable deaths. Many of these deaths are the result of dangerous procedures performed in regions where restrictive laws limit or prohibit access to safe, legal abortion care.