The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #48144

Maureen Corbett, MIA, Intrah/PRIME II, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, c/o David Nelson, 1700 Airport Rd., Suite 300, CB #8100, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8100, 919-962-6798, dnelson@intrah.org and Katherine L. Turner, MPH, Ipas, 300 Market St., Suite 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.

The Postabortion Care (PAC) Consortium presents the updated and expanded Essential Elements of Postabortion Care Model. This model builds on more than ten years of experience with the original PAC concept, first articulated by Ipas in its 1991 strategic plan. The new model includes updated versions of the previous three elements and expands the model from three to five essential elements. In addition to 1) treatment of incomplete and unsafe abortion, 2) contraceptive and family planning services and 3) reproductive and other health services, the new model includes 4) community partnerships and 5) comprehensive counseling as two additional essential elements of PAC services. By shifting from facility-based, clinical services to a more comprehensive public health model, the Essential Elements of Postabortion Care Model includes prevention, treatment and the total reproductive health needs of women. Host-country and donor commitment to ensuring universal access to voluntary contraception and PAC services is gaining momentum, evidenced in many countries by the availability of PAC services at the primary health care level. Lessons learned by cooperating agencies (CAs), NGOs, donors and host-country partners through years of experience with PAC program implementation and evaluation inspired the PAC Consortium to update and expand the PAC model. As countries scale up their commitment to Paragraph 63iii from the 1999 Five Year Review of Progress Since ICPD, the PAC Consortium presents the Essential Elements of Postabortion Care Model as a reflection of the progress achieved to date and a roadmap leading to a continuum of high quality PAC services.

Learning Objectives:

• • Describe the history of the postabortion care model and the momentum for updating and expanding the model
  • Articulate the Essential Elements of Postabortion Care Model
  • Describe the rationale for updating and expanding the model and for each essential element in the new model
  • Identify how the Essential Elements of Postabortion Care Model lays a framework for improved public health practice and outcomes.

Keywords: Post-Abortion Care, Reproductive Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.