Referral and Decentralization Postabortion care can be effective only if women with abortion complications reach emergency care in time.
Delays put women's lives at risk.
Diagnosing complications of unsafe abortion quickly and treating or referring women promptly can prevent lifelong disability and save lives. Thus establishing a formal referral system and offering care at the lowest possible level of the health care system are key to improving and expanding postabortion care. At the same time, a postabortion care plan must work to ensure that women with severe complications receive the specialized care they need.