Trained Midwives And Nurses Can Provide Early Medical Abortion As Safely And Effectively As Doctors

Properly trained auxiliary nurse midwives and nurses can provide early medical abortions* as safely and effectively as doctors in developing countries, concludes an Article published Online First in The Lancet. These findings could expand women's access to safe abortion services in developing countries where unmet need is greatest, and help save the lives of some of the estimated 47 000 women worldwide who die as a result of unsafe abortions every year.

Nearly all (98%) of the 22 million unsafe abortions each year take place in developing countries. Despite early first-trimester medical abortion being a safe and effective alternative to surgical abortion, it remains underused in many developing countries partly because only doctors are currently authorised to administer medical abortion services. However, midlevel health-care workers such as midwives and nurses could have an important role in expanding access to low-cost, life-saving abortion services in developing countries where abortion is legally permitted under broad conditions or on request and doctors are scarce. read more >>

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com