Abortion care

As one of the world’s leading providers of comprehensive abortion care, we are unapologetic in our defence of the right to choose and are proud to provide abortion services wherever the law permits.  

There will always be a need for abortion care. Every year, across the world, nearly one in three pregnancies end in abortion. It is one of the world’s most safe and common medical procedures. But millions of people are unable to access the services they need to end their pregnancies safely.   

Many women don’t know where to turn for support, don’t know what the laws allow, or are too worried about the stigma associated with abortion to ask for help. This lack of knowledge and fear of judgement is putting lives at risk, and that’s what we’re working to change. 

A world where every abortion is safe

We believe in a world where everyone has the right to determine their own future, whether that means using contraception to prevent conception or choosing to end a pregnancy.  

By providing safe abortion services when and where they’re needed, and where the legal context allows, we support our clients to make the reproductive choices that are right for them. In 2023, MSI supported 4.6 million clients globally to access an abortion or post-abortion care service. 

Providing life-saving post-abortion care, following an unsafe abortion

In settings where it’s difficult to access abortion care, for example due to legal restrictions or a lack of services, people are forced to resort to unsafe abortions. In these cases, MSI provides post-abortion care — a lifesaving service for women who experience complications from an incomplete, spontaneous miscarriage or an unsafe abortion. MSI’s teams are trained to assess and treat any damage caused and provide urgent care. 

Abortion: the facts

Abortion, when delivered in line with the World Health Organisation’s guidelines, is one of the world’s safest medical procedures. Here are the facts on abortion safety:

What is a safe abortion? 

Abortion is a very safe, simple, and common medical process or procedure to end a pregnancy, either via a surgical abortion or a medical abortion (abortion with pills). Worldwide, an estimated 29% of pregnancies – nearly one in three — end in an abortion every year. In the UK, 1 in 3 women will have an abortion in their lifetime and in the United States, it’s 1 in 4 women.  

Safe abortion is defined as an abortion carried out with a method that is recommended by the World Health Organisation, appropriate for the point of gestation (the number of days or weeks since the person’s last menstrual period) and provided by someone with the necessary skills and commodities. 

Safe abortions can be provided either with pills, known as a medical abortion, or a simple outpatient procedure in a clinic, known as a surgical abortion. The most appropriate method will depend on the gestation, local clinical policies and the client’s preference. 

How safe is abortion? 

When completed in line with the World Health Organisation’s guidelines, abortion is one of the safest medical procedures in the world. A study by the University of California, San Francisco looked at over 50,000 abortions performed and found that over 97% of patients received a safe, simple and complete procedure.  

All abortion services provided by MSI Reproductive Choices are provided in line with the World Health Organisation’s definition of safe, using a recommended method and supported by trained providers.