Unsafe abortion is one of the main causes of maternal death, and the only one that is completely preventable. Yet over 30 million unsafe abortions occur each year, leading to at least 28,000 deaths and millions of serious complications—nearly all in low- and middle-income countries. MSF teams see these tragic consequences first-hand, treating thousands of patients every year with severe, potentially life-threatening effects from unsafe abortion.
To mark International Safe Abortion Awareness Day (28 September 2023) this Collection presents highlights of MSF’s work on providing SAC as a way to reduce maternal death and injury. By re-assessing and reshaping how our projects deliver SAC in fragile and conflict-affected settings, we have been able to significantly expand services not only in those contexts but across MSF projects globally. In parallel we also conducted in-depth studies of abortion-related dynamics in several complex settings, especially among women who experienced severe complications. Collectively these findings are helping to identify gaps in service delivery and inform operational decision-making. And in a shift accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, we are increasingly working towards and advocating for more community-led, self-managed SAC.