For many years, the issue of unsafe abortion and reproductive health has been clouded by cultural, religious and political opposition to safe abortion. In many developing countries abortion is illegal, and yet this does not prevent it from occurring. The laws against abortion are old laws. For most of the 19th century, the rationale of abortion laws was to save women from quacks and unsafe and experimental surgery. The cruel irony is that these same laws, or their derivatives, should now lead to the very opposite situation.
Unsafe abortion is a major public health issue, even in countries where it is legal.
By legalizing or liberalizing restrictive abortion laws, and investing in safe abortion services, governments can save the lives of thousands of women each year. It is well known that women in any part of the world, when faced with unwanted pregnancies, resort to abortion regardless of the legality of the procedure. Many have no choice but to undergo abortions performed by unqualified people in unhygienic settings. In most cases this right only applies to the first three months of pregnancy. Chronic pelvic pain, pelvic inflammatory disease and consequent infertility.