safe abortion

Every year, nearly 42 million women around the world faced with an unintended pregnancy have an abortion. Some 20 million of these abortions are unsafe, resulting in approximately 68,000 deaths. Between two and seven million women are also left with long-term damage, injury, illness or disease. In developing countries, more than half the abortions performed are unsafe and this is often because abortion services are restricted by the legal framework of the country.

Marie Stopes believes that every woman should have the right to choose the number and spacing of her children. The best and simplest way to achieve this right is through family planning and access to modern contraceptive services – which 215 million women would like to use but cannot access. This is at the heart of Marie Stopes’ mission. We also make the commitment to provide high-quality, safe abortion services to women in countries where abortion is legal. In countries where abortion is a restricted medical service, we concentrate our efforts on long-term family planning methods, educate on safe birthing and where possible provide post-abortion care for women who need life-saving medical assistance after they have undergone an unsafe abortion or have self-aborted.

His Story

The husband of a woman who came to Marie Stopes for help, in a country where access to abortion was restricted, told his story of desperation at wanting to obtain a safe abortion for his wife. Quoted in Marie Stopes International’s publication, Cries and Whispers, he said, ‘I know that it is illegal but consider yourself in my shoes. How am I going to support my already big family? And look at my wife. Will she survive another pregnancy? She already looks torn down. I will do anything to have this pregnancy terminated.’