Unsafe Abortion in Thailand: Roles of RTCOG

Abstract

“Women are not dying of diseases we cannot treat. They are dying because societies have yet to make the decision that their lives are worth saving.”

(MF Fathalla, 1993, Former President, FIGO)

Thailand has made major strides in reducing fertility; TFR declined from 6.4 to 1.2 children per woman as well as increasing contraceptive prevalence (CPR) from 30% to 75% during the period from 1968 to 2008. However, little progress has been made in expanding access to safe abortion primarily because of the stigma, little or inadequate training of providers and lack of a political will to address this issue. As a result women in Thailand are dying and being maimed needlessly from complications of unsafe abortion.