Women provide emotional, physical and economic support for their families, the death of a mother is one of the most traumatic events that can befall a family. Unsafe abortion which can cause severe illness and death should be prevented at every cost.

Abortion is universal, through history women have sought to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Despite increased use of contraception, the need for abortion continues to be there. Prevention of unwanted pregnancy has been the top-priority concern with all health planners; still a large number of abortions are performed worldwide. Approximately 1/3 to 1/2 of all women have at least one induced abortion performed under unsafe conditions. The safety and efficacy of procedure used is therefore of global public health importance.

India was one of the few countries in the world to legalize abortion by promulgating MTP Act in 1972. Majority (80-90%) of abortions are performed during the first trimester of pregnancy. Standard method of pregnancy termination in first trimester is surgical evacuation of uterine contents after cervical dilatation (vacuum aspiration). When provided properly by trained personnel, vacuum aspiration is a safe procedure. In India, a doctor needs to undergo special training before being certified to carry out a legal surgical abortion and the place needs to be certified.

Significant advances have occurred during the last 10 years in the development of medical non-invasive methods for pregnancy termination. Several drugs have been tried with an aim of interfering with maintenance of pregnancy, Non-surgical methods for inducing abortion increase the choices available to women. Research is still being carried out to improve current medical methods for inducing abortion. With currently available options, medical abortion is successful in 90-95% women.

Introduction of Medical Abortion in India is a landmark in women’s health. Medical abortion offers an approach to pregnancy termination which is non-invasive with minimal side-effects. This method which can be learnt with minimal training will protect women from complications of unsafe surgical abortion.

Before a new method is introduced it is important to establish norms and standards and assess what changes need to be made in current services available. With this in mind Consortium on National Consensus for Medical Abortion in India was organized in March 2003. Experts from India and other countries with experience in medical abortion had a brain-storming session on different issues related to medical abortion including pre-abortion
assessment and decision making, technology for medical abortion, access to facility, quality of abortion and post abortion care, training of healthcare providers and monitoring of medical abortion programme and reached a consensus. This consensus document will be of immense benefit to all those who provide abortion services in the country and will go a long way in improving the reproductive health status of women in India.