Access to safe abortions saves lives, WHO chief says

Leaked US Supreme Court draft ruling suggests possible overturn of nationwide right to abortion

Demonstrators protest outside the US Supreme Court in Washington after the leaking of a court draft opinion on abortion. AP

A pro-choice protester in front of the Supreme Court in Washington. EPA

US Senator Amy Klobuchar speaks at a protest outside the US Supreme Court after the leak of a draft majority opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito preparing for a majority of the court to overturn the landmark law known as Roe v Wade. Reuters

US Senator Elizabeth Warren joins demonstrators during a protest outside the US Supreme Court. Reuters

Demonstrators protest outside the US Supreme Court in Washington. AP

Demonstrators protest outside the US Supreme Court Tuesday, May 3, 2022 in Washington. AP

Pro-life and pro-choice demonstrators during a protest outside the US Supreme Court in Washington. Bloomberg

Pro-choice demonstrators outside the US Supreme Court in Washington. Bloomberg

A pro-choice activist wears a jacket that reads: Everyone loves someone who has had an abortion. EPA

A Catholic pro-choice demonstrator holds a sign during a protest outside the US Supreme Court. Reuters

An activist in front of the Supreme Court in Washington. EPA

Protesters in front of the Supreme Court in Washington. According to leaked documents, the Supreme Court could overturn Roe v Wade, which for nearly 50 years has guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion. EPA

The head of the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday that access to safe abortions saves lives, after a leaked draft ruling indicated the US Supreme Court was considering ending access to legal abortions nationwide.

Without explicitly mentioning the US case, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “restricting access to abortion does not reduce the number of procedures".

“It drives women and girls towards unsafe ones,” he said in a tweet.

“Access to safe abortion saves lives.”

His comments came amid a firestorm in the US, sparked by the leak of a Supreme Court draft ruling, which suggested the court was poised to overturn the nationwide right to abortion.

If the draft ruling is confirmed by the court, it would overturn the 1973 Roe v Wade decision, which granted women the right to abortion across the country.

Abortion laws would then be left up to individual state legislatures, with as many as half expected to enact bans or new restrictions.

For many women, the potential loss of abortion rights across much of the US raises the prospect of being forced to travel hundreds of miles for the procedure or giving birth in traumatic circumstances.

“Women should always have the right to choose when it comes to their bodies and their health,” Dr Tedros said.

The UN health agency issued new guidelines on abortion care in March, in a bid to help protect the health of women and girls and prevent unsafe abortions.

The WHO reports that about 25 million unsafe abortions are conducted around the world annually, with about 39,000 women and girls dying as a result each year and millions more admitted to hospital due to complications.

Most of the deaths happen in lower-income countries, with Africa accounting for a full 60 per cent and Asia for 30 per cent, data show.