{{Short description|Medical treatment and counseling after abortion}} '''Post-abortion care''' ('''PAC''') is treatment and counseling for post-abortion women. It includes [[curative care]], such as treating abortion complications, as well as [[preventative care]], such as providing [[birth control]] to prevent future unwanted pregnancies.<ref name="capacity"/> Post-abortion care reduces morbidity and mortality associated with abortion.<ref name="missed">{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30542-4|pmid=30503403|year=2019|last1=Temmerman|first1=M.|title=Missed opportunities in women's health: Post-abortion care|journal=The Lancet. Global Health|volume=7|issue=1|pages=e12–e13|doi-access=free|hdl=1854/LU-8603453|hdl-access=free}}</ref>
==Prevalence== Approximately 75 million women require post-abortion care annually following induced and [[spontaneous abortion]] (miscarriage).<ref name="years">{{cite journal|doi=10.9745/GHSP-D-16-00052|title=Postabortion Care: 20 Years of Strong Evidence on Emergency Treatment, Family Planning, and Other Programming Components |year=2016 |last1=Huber |first1=Douglas|last2=Curtis|first2=Carolyn|last3=Irani|first3=Laili|last4=Pappa|first4=Sara|last5=Arrington|first5=Lauren|journal=Global Health: Science and Practice|volume=4|issue=3|pages=481–494|pmid=27571343|pmc=5042702}}</ref> All countries have committed to reducing pregnancy-related mortality by providing treatment for abortion complications, regardless if the abortion was illegally obtained.<ref name="capacity">{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/S2214-109X(18)30404-2|title=Health systems' capacity to provide post-abortion care: A multicountry analysis using signal functions|year=2019|last1=Owolabi|first1=Onikepe O.|last2=Biddlecom|first2=Ann|last3=Whitehead|first3=Hannah S.|journal=The Lancet Global Health|volume=7|issue=1|pages=e110–e118|pmid=30503402|pmc=6478445}}</ref> However, an analysis of ten countries (Bangladesh, Haiti, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, and Uganda) found that in seven of ten, less than 10% of primary facilities could provide basic post-abortion care. No primary healthcare facilities in Namibia provided post-abortion care; Malawi, with greatest prevalence, offered post-abortion care at 29% of primary facilities.<ref name="missed"/>
==Elements== The [[curative care]] aspect of PAC includes treating incomplete abortions by removing any fetal or maternal tissues remaining in the uterus. This can include using [[vacuum aspiration]] (suction) or [[curettage]] (scraping). Aspiration results in shorter procedure times, less pain, and less blood loss than curettage. The drug [[misoprostol]] is an alternative to manual removal and is another option for treating incomplete abortion.<ref name="years"/>
For [[preventative care]], women are provided family planning counseling and services, as most women seeking PAC were not using modern contraceptives at the time of conception. A study in Zimbabwe found that family planning counseling was associated with a significant reduction in unwanted pregnancies and repeat abortions in the year after they received post-abortion care. Infrequently, sexual health screenings such as [[HIV testing]] are provided as part of post-abortion care, though [[sexually transmitted infection]] screening is low and has been identified as an unmet need of PAC.<ref name="years"/>
==History== The term "post-abortion care" was first defined in the 1991 by the non-governmental organization (NGO) [[Ipas (organization)|Ipas]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/03/09/936206516/in-hospitals-across-africa-a-lack-of-post-abortion-care| title=In Hospitals Across Africa, A Lack Of Post-Abortion Care| first=Patrick| last=Adams| date=9 March 2021| access-date=9 March 2021| work=NPR}}</ref> In 1993, Ipas joined [[Jhpiego]], [[EngenderHealth]], [[Pathfinder International]], and [[International Planned Parenthood Federation]], in creating the Postabortion Care Consortium.<ref name="elements">{{cite journal|doi=10.1363/ifpp.29.106.03|pmid=14519586|year=2003|last1=Corbett|first1=M. R.|last2=Turner|first2=K. L.|title=Essential elements of postabortion care: Origins, evolution and future directions|journal=International Family Planning Perspectives|volume=29|issue=3|pages=106–11}}</ref>
In 1994, a post-abortion care model was articulated by the Postabortion Care Consortium, with three key elements, regardless of the legality of abortion in a given country: 1) emergency treatment for abortion-related complications; 2) postabortion family planning counseling and services; and 3) linkage between emergency care and other reproductive health services, such as management of sexually transmitted diseases.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1111/j.1600-0412.2011.01165.x|doi-access=free|title=Unsafe abortion and postabortion care - an overview|year=2011|last1=Rasch|first1=Vibeke|journal=Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica|volume=90|issue=7|pages=692–700|pmid=21542813}}</ref> The PAC model was adopted by [[United States Agency for International Development]] (USAID) in 1994.<ref name="years"/> In 2002, two elements were added relating to counseling and community involvement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.postabortioncare.org/sites/pac/files/USAID_Model.pdf| title=USAID PAC Model, Results Framework, and Global and Country Indicators|website=Postabortion Care}}</ref> The first research compendium on post-abortion care was published in 2007 by USAID, ''What Works, A Policy and Program Guide to the Evidence on Postabortion Care''.<ref name="years"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Abortion}}
[[Category:Abortion]]