Innovations in Medical Abortion: Improving Access in Restricted Settings

Gynuity hosted a workshop entitled 'Innovations in Medical Abortion: Improving Access in Restricted Settings’ in Bangkok, Thailand on March 5 -6, 2015. The workshop provided a forum to discuss new science and service delivery innovations in medical abortion and post abortion care. The purpose of the meeting was to foster new strategies that advocate for, improve access to and quality of, abortion services in restricted settings. While abortion is legal and permissible for certain indications in many restricted settings, several obstacles such as complex legal and policy frameworks; drug registration or distribution systems; and lack of evidence-based and standardized clinical protocols, stand in the way of greater accessibility to services. The workshop agenda included presentations on the use of the MLPT as follow up to abortion services and on the evidence based clinical and service guidelines on post-abortion care. The meeting brought together service delivery organizations, government representatives, donor agencies, and experts in reproductive health from 10 countries (Thailand, Cambodia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Iran). Colleagues from Afghanistan and Nepal were also invited but were unable to attend due to logistical barriers.