Around 25 million unsafe abortions take place worldwide each year

Kolkata, Dec 19: Around 25 million unsafe abortions were estimated to have taken place worldwide each year, almost all in developing countries Among these, 8 million were carried out in the least- safe or dangerous conditions, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) reports.

Over half of all estimated unsafe abortions globally were in Asia. 3 out of 4 abortions that occurred in Africa and Latin America were unsafe. The risk of dying from an unsafe abortion was the highest in Africa. 
Each year between 4.7 – 13.2 per cent of maternal deaths can be attributed to unsafe abortion. Around 7 million women are admitted to hospitals every year in developing countries, as a result of unsafe abortion.
In developed regions, it is estimated that 30 women die for every 100 000 unsafe abortions. That number rises to 220 deaths per 100 000 unsafe abortions in developing regions and 520 deaths per 100 000 unsafe abortions in sub-Saharan Africa.
The annual cost of treating major complications from unsafe abortion is estimated at US$ 553 million.
Almost every abortion death and disability could be prevented through sexuality education, use of effective contraception, provision of safe, legal induced abortion, and timely care for complications.
Abortions are safe if they are done with a method recommended by WHO that is appropriate to the pregnancy duration and if the person providing or supporting the abortion is trained. Such abortions can be done using tablets (medical abortion) or a simple outpatient procedure.
Unsafe abortion occurs when a pregnancy is terminated either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards, or both.
The people, skills, and medical standards considered safe in the provision of induced abortions are different for medical abortion (which is performed with drugs alone), and surgical abortion (which is performed with a manual or electric aspirator). Skills and medical standards required for safe abortion also vary depending upon the duration of the pregnancy and evolving scientific advances.
They are less safe, when done using outdated methods like sharp curettage even if the provider is trained or if women using tablets do not have access to proper information or to a trained person if they need help.
Abortions are dangerous or least safe when they involve ingestion of caustic substances or untrained persons use dangerous methods such as insertion of foreign bodies, or use of traditional concoctions. UNI