Center Factsheet Outlines Recommendations of New WHO Abortion Guideline

Drawing on the latest evidence and data on the clinical, service delivery, legal, and human rights aspects of abortion care, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its Abortion Care Guideline on March 9, 2022, updating and replacing the recommendations in its guideline published a decade ago. Each and every recommendation in the guideline is based on public health evidence and human rights.

The Center for Reproductive Rights has issued a new fact sheet highlighting select core themes that are weaved throughout the new guideline, as well as the guideline’s recommendations concerning law and policy.

To improve access to abortion, protect safety, and promote the autonomy of women, girls and other persons who can get pregnant, WHO recommends the following law and policy interventions, explained further in the fact sheet:

• Full decriminalization of abortion.
• Repeal of laws and regulations that restrict abortion by reasons, prohibit abortion based on gestational limits, and require mandatory waiting periods.
• Availability of abortion on the request of the woman, girl or other pregnant person and without the need for authorization from any other person, body, or institution.
• Ending regulations that limit who can provide and manage abortion care that are inconsistent with WHO guidance.
• Protection of abortion access from barriers created by conscientious refusal.

The WHO guideline also addresses the disproportionate impact that restrictive laws have on underserved populations that already face barriers to accessing care, including adolescents, persons of color, persons with disabilities and others.

Read more:

• “Enabling access to quality abortion care: WHO’s Abortion Care guideline,” The Lancet, Vol 10, Issue 4. E467-E468, APRIL 01, 2022
• Las nuevas Directrices sobre la atención para el Aborto de la OMS: Lo más destacado de sus Recomendaciones Legislación y Políticas, 03.16.22
• Center Commends WHO’s New Abortion Guideline for Quality Abortion Care Worldwide, 03.08.22