Medical Abortion in former Soviet Union Countries: Challenges and Promises

Gynuity Health Projects held a regional conference in Tbilisi, Georgia, gathering approximately 80 distinguished experts, policy makers and representatives of international and local non-governmental organizations from 15 countries in Eastern and Western Europe, Central Asia and the USA to discuss the challenges and promises of medical abortion in the Former Soviet Region. Abortion has been legal and available in the Former Soviet Region for many decades, but only recently have countries been integrating medical abortion services into their health care systems. Difficulties surrounding drug distribution, conservative policies, and a lack of trained providers have limited the reach of medical abortion. This two-day conference included presentations on new science, country-level policy developments, and service delivery innovations, and provided an opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and discuss strategies for introducing and increasing access to medical abortion in the region. Below is the conference agenda.

Day 1
Welcome to Conference participants

• Otar Toidze, Chairman of Healthcare and Social Affairs Committee, Parliament of Georgia
• Manana Jibashvili, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Affairs, Georgia
• Zurab Vadachkoria, Rector of Tbilisi State Medical University
• Zaza Bokhua, Director, Institute of Postgraduate Medical Studies and Continuous Medical Education, Georgia

Welcome address: Beverly Winikoff, Gynuity Health Projects, USA – “Mifepristone medical abortion: Small pill, big revolution”

Keynote address: Wanda Nowicka, Federation for Women and Family Planning and ASTRA secretariat, Poland – “Women’s access to medical abortion – Key to realization of their human rights to health in Former Soviet Countries”

Panel session: New science and practice
Moderator: Tamar Tsereteli, Gynuity Health Projects, Georgia

• Erica Chong, Gynuity Health Projects, USA – “Exploring non-vaginal routes of misoprostol”
• Steliana Tabarna, Reproductive Health Training Center, Moldova – “Home administration of mifepristone and misoprostol for medical abortion”
• Vladimir Bannikov, Women Health and Family Planning, Ukraine – “What happens on days 64-70?”
• Caitlin Shannon, Gynuity Health Projects, USA – “Second trimester medical abortion”

Panel Session: Policy challenges and successes
Moderator: Daniela Draghici, EEARC, Romania

• Iustina Ionescu, Center for Reproductive Rights, USA – “Threats to legal medical abortion in the region and strategies for mobilization”
• Galina Dikke, Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russia – “Medical abortion-related restrictions in Russia”
• Vadimas Grebinskis, Family Planning Association, Lithuania – “Challenges to providing medical abortion in the Baltic States”
• Rodica Comendant, ICMA, Reproductive Health Training Center, Moldova – “Medical abortion in Moldova: Implementation of changes in the national guidelines”

Panel Session: How do we get it? Drug availability, costs and the consumer
Moderator: Beverly Winikoff, Gynuity Health Projects, USA

• Dmitry Kochev, Pentcroft Pharma, Russia – “Drug registration and labeling issues”
• Hillary Bracken, Gynuity Health Projects, USA –“Combination packs: What are the pros and cons?”
• Drug distribution: Country experiences

Day 2
Panel Session: Improving access and quality of medical abortion services
Moderator: Jennifer Blum, Gynuity Health Projects, USA

• Svitlana Posokhova, Odessa State Medical University, Ukraine – “Serving disadvantaged and vulnerable populations”
• Mary Fjerstad, Ipas, USA – “Training providers and monitoring services”
• Making medical abortion services accessible: Country experiences
• Archil Khomassuridze, Zhordania Institute of Human Reproduction, Georgia
• Ruzanna Abrahamyan, Institute of Perinatology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Armenia
• Gulnara Rzaeyva, Scientific Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Azerbaijan
• Dilfuza Kurbanbekova, Women’s Wellness Center, Uzbekistan
• Galina Maistruk, Women Health and Family Planning, Ukraine

Panel Session: Role of international organizations and networks
Moderator: Rodica Comendant, ICMA, Reproductive Health Training Center, Moldova

• Galina Maistruk, Women Health and Family Planning, Ukraine – “Networking to protect women’s reproductive health and choice (EEARC)”
• Arsen Askerov, Reproductive Health Alliance, Kyrgyzstan – “FIGO initiative to prevent unsafe abortion”
• Vladimir Shchigolev, WHO, Russia – “WHO Strategic Assessments of abortion in the region”
• Meri Khachikyan, IPPF European Network, Belgium – “IPPF’s Comprehensive Abortion Care project”