Oral

This session addresses worldwide abortion trends and delves more in-depth into statistics and programs in Mexico and India. Reliable information on abortion levels and trends worldwide, and on regional variations in incidence, are important in light of the implications for family planning programs and policies and because it can influence the discourse around abortion laws and policies. Two panelists explore abortion in Mexcio. One presentation describes a study in 2000 with follow up in 2006 of the experience, knowledge and opinions on EC and abortion and the other provides findings from a study on pharmacy workers and medical abortion. In India, medical termination of pregnancy has been legal since 1972 and the use of mifepristone and misoprostol for medical abortion has been legal since 2002. Two panelist explore women’s needs and the extent to which services meet women’s need in Madya Pradesh, and the potential to use midlevel health care providers (MPs) in abortion provision.

Session Objectives: • Describe the major trends in abortion worldwide • Articulate the public policy implications of the patterns of abortion trends and incidences • To understand differences in Mexicans’ knowledge, attitudes and practices on emergency contraception and abortion between 2000 and 22006 • Articulate the knowledge and practices of women and pharmacy workers related to misoprostol use in two sites in Mexico and opportunities to facilitate knowledge and use of misoprostol • Describe the status of abortion in India, identify obstacles to abortion services in one state in India and opportunities to improve services to meet client needs • Analyze provides knowledge, attitudes and intentions to offer abortion in India

CE Credits: CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing