Induced abortion is one of the most performed medical interventions. Making abortion illegal does not reduce the number of abortions. 20 million of the 42 million abortions performed annually are illegal and unsafe. Legalization of abortion can prevent unnecessary suffering and death of women.

Worldwide more than 1/3 of all pregnancies are unplanned. Every year nearly 1/4 of all pregnant women worldwide choose to have an abortion. The legal status of abortion makes little difference to overall levels of abortion incidence. Where illegal, most abortions are done with unsafe methods. Where illegal, it is primarily women without financial means who take recourse to unsafe abortion methods, resulting in the death of a woman every 8 minutes.

At the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, unsafe abortion was recognized as a major public health problem. The WHO estimates that 20 million of the 42 million pregnancies which are terminated by induced abortion every year are performed under unsafe conditions and in an adverse social and legal climate, resulting in approximately 70,000 deaths each year due to infection, hemorrhages, uterine injury and the toxic effects of agents taken to induce abortion.

At this moment approximately 25% of the world population lives in 54 countries (mainly in Africa, Latin America and Asia) with highly restrictive laws that either ban abortion entirely or permit it only to save the life of the pregnant women.

The poorer women are, the more likely it is that, faced with unwanted pregnancy, they will provoke an abortion themselves or go to a person without medical training, increasing health risks and the risk of hospitalization due to complications. Availability of safe and above all affordable abortion will also have implications for the future financial situation of such women and/or their families and can therefore be considered part of the struggle against poverty.

Rumania provides a unique case study of the factors that influence the use of unsafe abortion: in 1966 legal abortion was restricted and the abortion-related maternal mortality rate increased sharply, ten times higher than the average for the rest of Europe; in 1989 abortion was again made available on reques...

Approximately 25% of the world population lives in countries with highly restrictive abortion laws, mostly in Latin America, Africa and Asia. These are the countries where abortion is most restricted according to the law. In some countries, such as in Chili, women still go to prison for having an illegal abortion.

For abortion laws in specific countries click here to see ABORTION LAWS OF THE WORLD from Harvard university

Legalization of abortion can prevent the unnecessary suffering and death of women. Restrictive abortion laws violate women's human rights based on agreements made at the UN International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (article 1 & 3 &12 &19 & 27.1).

Prior to the beginning of the 19th century, there were no abortion laws in existence. In 1869 Pope Pius IX declared that ensoulement occurs at conception. As a result the laws in the 19th century did not allow any termination of pregnancy. These laws form the basis of the restrictive legislation on abortion that still exist in many developing countries. Between 1950 and 1985 almost all developed countries liberalized their abortion laws for reasons of human rights and safety. Where abortion is still illegal this is often due to old colonial laws and not always an expression of the opinion of the local population.

Colorindex to the map:

RED
Abortion illegal in all circumstances or permitted only to save a woman's life.

PINK
Abortion legally permitted only to save a woman's life or protect her physical health.

YELLOW
Abortion legally permitted only to protect mental health.

BLUE
Abortion legally permitted on socioeconomic grounds

WHITE
Abortion on request

Red countries on the map

South America:
Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Gustamala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nigaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela,

Sub-Saharan Africa:
Angola, Benin, Central African Rep.Chad, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Dem. Rep. of Congo, Gabon, Guinea- Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, ...

Quotes from emails we received during our sailings to Ireland and Poland.

“I am urgently looking for information about your services and contacts to use your services in International waters off the Irish coast. It is important to me that I get this Information as soon as possible. Please contact me soon.�

"Hello I am a 19 year old student, I got pregnant and I cannot have the baby. I tried everywhere for help but did not manage to. I saw your sight on the Internet and I really would like you to help me. I live in a small island in the Mediterranean called MALTA and as you know abortion here is illegal.I heard that your ship Aurora comes to Malta but I do not know when. I would really be pleased if you could give me all the information needed so that I will be able to find you here in Malta.Or else any other information or contacts so that I will have this abortion. Please you are my last hope and I am sure you can help me, please I beg you. Unfortunately I do not have an e-mail address but you can contact me on this address?"

"Can you please tell me what country I can go to to have a legal abortion since that I live in the Philippines and it is illegal here. Thankyou for your help"

"I am living in Oman and abortion is illegal in Oman. Can I come to Holland for Abotion? Pls ?"

"I found your web page this evening and do not know if you may be able to help me, however desperate circumstance require me to ask. I am an American student living in Egypt who is faced with an unwanted pregnancy. Being in a muslim country and having few financial resources, I don't know where to turn."

"I'm 19, I live in Poland. Few days ago I have passed my enter exams and now I'm a student of University. Today I went to the doctor and I know that I'm pregnant (it's 5th week). I was supposing that I'm pregnant for few weeks and I have been thinking what to do for a long time. Now I'm sure thatr I'm not ready to be mother, to give love and home, take care and resp...

People who are against free choice create many myths about abortion which have never been proven.

- Fertility problems: safe abortion does not increase the risk of future infertility or pregnancy problems, though sexual transmitted diseases and unsafe abortion do.
- Other medical problems: there is no evidence of any medical illness related to safe abortion, although opponents of abortion (using selective and unscientific interpretation of research) try to suggest that there is an increased risk of breast cancer.
- Psychological problems: for most women the decision to have an abortion is difficult and may provoke feelings of sadness or guilt. Still, most women also feel relieved afterward. There is no evidence of increased risk of long term 'post-abortion' stress, depression or anxiety, or any other psychological illness.

Facts about abortion:

• Worldwide more than 1/3 of all pregnancies are unplanned.
• Every year nearly 1/4 of all pregnant women worldwide choose to have an abortion (circa 42 million annually).
• Approximately 25% of the world population lives in countries with highly restrictive abortion laws, mostly in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
• The legal status of abortion makes little difference to overall levels of the estimated abortion incidence (making it illegal does not reduce the number of abortions).
• Where illegal, it is primarily women without financial means who take recourse to unsafe abortion methods, resulting in the death of a woman every 7 minutes.
• 20 million of the 42 million abortions performed annually are unsafe.

According to the conditions in which the medically unsafe abortions are performed and the methods used, a variety of severe complications may occur. Complications such as sepsis, haemorrhage, genital and abdominal trauma, perforated uterus or poisoning may be fatal if left untreated. Death may also result from secondary complications such as gas gangrene and acute renal failure. Permanent disability can result from unsafe abortion. Long-term consequences of abortion may include chronic pelvic pain, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), tubal occlusion and secondary infertility. A high incidence of ectopic pregnancy and premature delivery, and increased risks of spontaneous abortion in subsequent pregnancies are other possible consequences of poorly performed abortions.

Between 10% and 50% of unsafe abortion cases need medical attention. However, not all women seek health care when complications arise. Their decision to seek help depends on the legal status and fear of sanctions, accessibility (geographic and financial) of health services, social attitudes, and also the attitudes of health facility staff. Worldwide 70 000 women die each year from complications fol...