Care for postabortion complications: saving women's lives

Abstract

In developing countries each year more than half a million women die from maternal causes. Nearly all of these deaths could be prevented. Efforts to prevent maternal deaths from one major cause--complications of unsafe abortion--are crucial but inadequate in most of the world. Providing appropriate medical care immediately could save many thousands of women's lives. Offering family planning could prevent many future unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.