The Clinical practice handbook for safe abortion care is intended to facilitate the practical application of the clinical recommendations from the second edition of Safe abortion: technical and policy guidance for health systems (World Health Organization [WHO] 2012). While legal, regulatory, policy and service-delivery contexts may vary from country to country, the recommendations and best practices described in both of these documents aim to enable evidence-based decision-making with respect to safe abortion care.

Contents

• Acknowledgements
• Abbreviations
• Definitions
• Purpose of the handbook
• Guiding principles
• 1. PRE-ABORTION
  • 1.1 Information, counselling and decision-making
  • 1.2 Medical history
  • 1.3 Physical examination
  • 1.4 Laboratory and other investigations (if necessary and available)
  • 1.5 Discussing contraceptive options
• 2. ABORTION
  • 2.1 Summary of methods: medical and surgical abortion
  • 2.2 Infection prevention and control
  • 2.3 Pain management
  • 2.4 Medical abortion
  • 2.5 Medical abortion: ≤12 weeks (or ≤84 days) of pregnancy
  • 2.6 Medical abortion: >12 weeks (or >84 days) of pregnancy
  • 2.7 Surgical abortion: cervical preparation
  • 2.8 Drugs, supplies and equipment for surgical abortion
  • 2.9 Surgical abortion: ≤12–14 weeks of pregnancy
  • 2.10 Surgical abortion: >12–14 weeks of pregnancy
• 3. POST-ABORTION
  • 3.1 Prior to discharge from the health-care facility
  • 3.2 Additional follow-up with a health-care provider
  • 3.3 Post-abortion contraception
  • 3.4 Assessing and managing abortion complications

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