Preventing and managing complications of induced abortion in Third World countries.

In societies with restrictive abortion laws, clandestine induced abortion by unskilled personnel results in needless and very high mortality and morbidity, tremendous strain on limited health resources, and inexcusable human suffering. Sepsis, hemorrhage, genital tract trauma, and related ill health and sterility, could be prevented by legalizing abortion, making appropriate sex education and contraceptive services available and training physicians and nonphysicians in uterine vacuum aspiration.