POST ABORTION FAMILY PLANNING: A KEY COMPONENT OF POST ABORTION CARE

Every year, an estimated 44 million women of all ages have an induced abortion, and they all need family planning information and voluntary contraceptive services. The provision of post abortion family planning services is crucial, as women who have an induced abortion often have had a previous abortion and may not have access to effective contraceptives. In fact, studies have shown that women who have had an induced abortion are at risk of pregnancy almost immediately after the procedure. Providing post abortion family planning services can increase post abortion contraception acceptance rates rapidly, from 0-10% prior to a program intervention to 50-80% within one to two years after implementation. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), and the International Council of Nurses (ICN) have committed to ensuring that their members advocate for high-quality post abortion family planning counseling and services. These health care professionals recognize the equally important need for family planning among postpartum women and are committed to strengthening contraceptive services as a vital part of both postpartum and post abortion care. Organizing services for optimal results is essential for providing quality post abortion care. This includes having institutions provide appropriate space for post abortion care, ensuring that contraceptive supplies and equipment are present at the point of service, and using midwives, nurses, and trained ward staff to counsel women. Effective programs also need to ensure an adequate supply and wide range of contraceptive methods in treatment rooms, including temporary and long-acting methods. Skilled counseling is especially important for younger women whose first interaction with the health system may be for post abortion care. Trained providers, including midwives, nurses, and ward staff, need to support all women who have undergone an induced abortion in making the best decisions for their health and reproductive intentions. To reinforce contraceptive continuation, women of all ages should be provided with a plan for obtaining ongoing contraceptive supplies and/or for making follow-up visits. The provision of post abortion family planning services is a cost-effective strategy for helping countries meet their commitments under Millennium Development Goal 5; FP2020; A Promise Renewed and the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS). By ensuring that voluntary family planning counseling and services are included as an essential component of post abortion care in all settings, we can empower and serve post abortion women of all ages to prevent unintended pregnancies and further abortions.