Outdated laws and regulations continue to restrict access to abortion drugs such as mifepristone and misoprostol around the world, forcing people to turn to unsafe alternatives that lead to preventable deaths. To reduce maternal mortality, governments must trust individuals to make their own reproductive choices.

GENEVA – The World Health Organization estimates that 29 million unsafe abortions occur globally each year, resulting in approx 40,000 preventable deaths. Many of these deaths are the result of dangerous procedures performed in regions where restrictive laws limit or prohibit access to legal and safe abortion care.