An abortion is a medical procedure that ends a pregnancy. It is also commonly referred as ‘termination’ or ‘termination of pregnancy’. It is a basic healthcare need for millions of women, girls and others who can become pregnant and are unable to carry the pregnancy due to several reasons. Worldwide, an estimated one in four pregnancies end in an abortion every year. According to the World Health Organization, every woman has the recognised human right to decide freely and responsibly without coercion and violence the number, spacing and timing of their children and to have the information and means to do so, and the right to attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health (ICPD 1994).

Access to legal and safe abortion is essential for the realisation of these rights. One in four pregnancies ends in abortion. Abortions include various clinical conditions such as spontaneous and induced abortion (both viable and non-viable pregnancies), incomplete abortion and intrauterine fetal demise.

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