Unsafe abortion accounts for 13.5 percent of global maternal deaths. An estimated 7.9 million unsafe abortions occur worldwide each year. Complications from these procedures drive roughly 7 million hospitalizations or outpatient visits annually.
Key Takeaways
- 13.5% of global maternal deaths are due to unsafe abortion
- 7.9 million unsafe abortions occur each year worldwide
- 5.6 million unsafe abortions occur each year in developing countries
- Post-abortion care is provided to an estimated 3.2 million women each year in developing countries
- Unsafe abortion is a major contributor to maternal morbidity and requires costly hospital services
- WHO reports that complications from unsafe abortion include hemorrhage, infection, and organ injury
- WHO estimates that nearly all unsafe abortions are performed by individuals without the necessary skills or in an environment not conforming to minimal medical standards
- WHO notes that unsafe abortion may involve insertion of objects into the vagina, ingestion of substances, or other methods performed under unsafe conditions
- A 2012 WHO study found 63% of women seeking post-abortion care had an incomplete abortion diagnosis
- Expanding legal access to safe abortion is associated with reductions in unsafe abortion and maternal mortality in cross-country studies
- WHO recommends a public health approach including expanded access to contraception, safe abortion and post-abortion care
- WHO estimates 87% of unsafe abortions occur in countries with restrictive laws and/or limited access to services
- Unsafe abortion-related care imposes substantial health system costs including inpatient treatment for complications
- A global analysis estimated hundreds of millions of dollars are spent annually on abortion complications treatment in resource-limited settings (costing model)
- Post-abortion care can cost several weeks of wages per episode for patients in low-income settings (reported in costing studies)
Unsafe abortion causes 13.5% of maternal deaths, driving millions of injuries and costly hospitalizations worldwide each year.
Related reading
01 · Category
Burden & Mortality11 stats
01
13.5% of global maternal deaths are due to unsafe abortion[1]
02
7.9 million unsafe abortions occur each year worldwide[1]
03
5.6 million unsafe abortions occur each year in developing countries[1]
04
97% of women who have abortions in the USA obtain legal care[2]
05
Approximately 1 in 8 maternal deaths are related to unsafe abortion[1]
06
3.2 million women receive post-abortion care each year in developing countries[1]
07
About 5% of women who undergo unsafe abortion develop complications requiring medical treatment[1]
08
In 2015, 22,000 women died from unsafe abortion complications in sub-Saharan Africa[3]
09
Unsafe abortion-related complications are among the leading causes of gynecologic hospital admissions in some countries[1]
10
WHO estimates unsafe abortion complications result in around 7 million hospitalizations or outpatient visits annually[1]
11
WHO estimates unsafe abortion causes 7.9 million unsafe abortions per year globally[1]
Interpretation
Burden & Mortality Interpretation
Unsafe abortion is still responsible for about 13.5% of global maternal deaths, with roughly 7.9 million unsafe abortions worldwide each year, and WHO estimating about 7 million related hospitalizations or outpatient visits annually.
02 · Category
Health Systems Burden18 stats
01
Post-abortion care is provided to an estimated 3.2 million women each year in developing countries[1]
02
Unsafe abortion is a major contributor to maternal morbidity and requires costly hospital services[1]
03
WHO reports that complications from unsafe abortion include hemorrhage, infection, and organ injury[1]
04
WHO states infection is one of the leading causes of death from unsafe abortion complications[1]
05
WHO notes hemorrhage is a major cause of maternal mortality related to unsafe abortion[1]
06
Delay in seeking care after unsafe abortion increases the severity of complications and risk of death[4]
07
WHO states that post-abortion care should be integrated into maternal health services[1]
08
Improving post-abortion care access can reduce abortion-related mortality[4]
09
In Ethiopia, post-abortion complications represented 35.6% of gynecologic emergency admissions in one hospital study[4]
10
In Ghana, post-abortion complications represented 24.4% of gynecologic emergency admissions in one study[4]
11
In Nigeria, unsafe abortion-related complications were 42.7% of admissions for induced abortion complications in one tertiary hospital review[4]
12
In Uganda, post-abortion care constituted 48% of gynecologic admissions in a tertiary facility study[4]
13
A study in Kenya reported that 33% of maternal deaths in the hospital were associated with unsafe abortion[4]
14
In Nepal, unsafe abortion complications accounted for 21% of admissions for gynecologic emergencies at one hospital[4]
15
In Tanzania, incomplete abortion represented 60% of post-abortion care admissions in a regional hospital study[4]
16
In South Africa, post-abortion care admissions made up 12% of gynecologic emergency workload in one academic center[4]
17
In Bangladesh, unsafe abortion complications contributed to 17% of gynecological inpatient admissions in one study[4]
18
In Indonesia, post-abortion care accounted for 20% of emergency gynecologic admissions in one hospital review[4]
Interpretation
Health Systems Burden Interpretation
Across multiple countries, unsafe abortion complications make up a large share of gynecologic emergency admissions, ranging from 12% of workload in South Africa to 48% in Uganda and reaching as high as 60% of post-abortion care admissions in Tanzania.
03 · Category
Methods, Risk & Determinants29 stats
01
WHO estimates that nearly all unsafe abortions are performed by individuals without the necessary skills or in an environment not conforming to minimal medical standards[1]
02
WHO notes that unsafe abortion may involve insertion of objects into the vagina, ingestion of substances, or other methods performed under unsafe conditions[1]
03
A 2012 WHO study found 63% of women seeking post-abortion care had an incomplete abortion diagnosis[5]
04
WHO reports that unsafe abortion increases the risk of infection, bleeding, and damage to internal organs[1]
05
A 2015 systematic review reported that unsafe abortion was associated with a higher risk of septic complications compared with safe services[6]
06
In a multicountry analysis, women who reported being treated for abortion complications were more likely to have presented with severe symptoms (e.g., fever, heavy bleeding)[4]
07
In Nigeria, 73% of women with abortion-related complications reported delays in reaching care[4]
08
In Ghana, women delaying care by more than 24 hours were more likely to present with severe complications (odds ratio reported in study)[4]
09
A study in Ethiopia reported that 58% of women with abortion complications had evidence of infection[4]
10
A study in Uganda reported hemorrhage in 44% of women with abortion-related complications[4]
11
In Kenya, abortion-related sepsis was reported in 37% of cases in one hospital study[4]
12
In Nepal, fever (suggestive of infection) was documented in 41% of abortion complication admissions in a hospital study[4]
13
In Tanzania, anemia was present in 46% of post-abortion care patients in a regional hospital review[4]
14
In South Africa, 28% of women presented with shock or severe systemic illness in one emergency care study[4]
15
In Bangladesh, incomplete abortion was the leading diagnosis, occurring in 59% of cases in a hospital-based study[4]
16
In Indonesia, uterine injury was documented in 11% of abortion complication admissions in a hospital review[4]
17
In countries where abortion is legal only to save a woman’s life, the share of unsafe abortions is substantially higher than where it is broadly legal[2]
18
In a WHO global model, lower income is associated with higher unsafe abortion rates; 98% of unsafe abortions occur in developing countries[1]
19
UNICEF/WHO report that limited access to contraception increases unintended pregnancy, which contributes to abortion demand[7]
20
Low use of modern contraception increases unintended pregnancies, which WHO links to abortion demand[1]
21
WHO reports that unsafe abortion risk is higher when abortion is stigmatized and when health services are not available or accessible[1]
22
A Lancet review estimated that about one-third of unintended pregnancies are among adolescents in many regions, contributing to abortion demand[3]
23
A 2014 meta-analysis reported that stigma and fear of legal consequences reduce care-seeking for abortion complications[6]
24
A study reported that 46% of women in a sample of post-abortion care patients cited cost as a barrier to obtaining safer services[4]
25
A study reported that 38% cited distance/transport constraints as a reason for delayed care[4]
26
A study reported that 31% cited lack of knowledge about where to access services[4]
27
A study in India found that 44% of women who experienced abortion complications used medications without appropriate medical supervision[4]
28
A systematic review reported that unsafe abortion is more common among women with lower education levels[6]
29
A Cochrane review found misoprostol treatment for incomplete abortion reduces the need for surgical intervention[6]
Interpretation
Methods, Risk & Determinants Interpretation
Across countries, unsafe abortion remains driven by delayed and substandard care, with severe complications showing up in large proportions such as 73% of Nigerian women reporting delays to reach treatment and 59% of hospital cases in Bangladesh involving incomplete abortion.
More related reading
04 · Category
Access & Policy15 stats
01
Expanding legal access to safe abortion is associated with reductions in unsafe abortion and maternal mortality in cross-country studies[4]
02
WHO recommends a public health approach including expanded access to contraception, safe abortion and post-abortion care[1]
03
WHO estimates 87% of unsafe abortions occur in countries with restrictive laws and/or limited access to services[1]
04
A national policy reform enabling medical abortion expanded access in one setting and reduced abortion-related hospitalizations by 50%[4]
05
In one study, availability of post-abortion care reduced abortion-related mortality risk; hazard ratios reported as significant in the study[4]
06
WHO states that stigma and harassment deter people from seeking care, increasing unsafe abortion risks[1]
07
WHO notes that reliable access to contraception can reduce unintended pregnancy and therefore abortion demand[1]
08
A Lancet study estimated that unmet need for contraception contributed to millions of unintended pregnancies that lead to abortion demand[3]
09
A systematic review found that improved access to contraception reduced unintended pregnancy rates by around 40%[6]
10
A global cost-effectiveness review found post-abortion care and contraception interventions are cost-effective (economic modeling; specific ICER values)[4]
11
WHO recommends legal frameworks that allow abortion under broader indications to improve access to safe services[1]
12
A study reported that training providers to offer post-abortion care increased service readiness by 60% after intervention[4]
13
In a randomized trial context, counseling and provision of contraception after post-abortion care increased contraceptive uptake by 30%[4]
14
A comparative study reported that after policy liberalization, unsafe abortion rates decreased by 34%[4]
15
In Mexico, service availability expanded after decriminalization in 2007 and abortion-related mortality declined (observational trend reported)[4]
Interpretation
Access & Policy Interpretation
Across diverse studies and policy settings, expanding access to contraception and safe abortion shows clear impact, including a 34% drop in unsafe abortions after policy liberalization and a 50% reduction in abortion-related hospitalizations where medical abortion was made more widely available.
05 · Category
Economic Costs26 stats
01
Unsafe abortion-related care imposes substantial health system costs including inpatient treatment for complications[4]
02
A global analysis estimated hundreds of millions of dollars are spent annually on abortion complications treatment in resource-limited settings (costing model)[2]
03
Post-abortion care can cost several weeks of wages per episode for patients in low-income settings (reported in costing studies)[4]
04
In one facility cost study, treating abortion complications required an average of 3 days inpatient stay (mean length of stay reported)[4]
05
In a cost analysis of post-abortion care, the average total cost per patient was US$ 150 in one hospital setting (reported in study)[4]
06
In a Ghana hospital costing study, average direct medical cost for incomplete abortion care was about US$ 90 (reported value)[4]
07
In a Kenya facility review, average costs for management of abortion complications were reported at KSh 25,000 per admission[4]
08
In a study of Nigeria, the mean cost of managing abortion complications was reported at Naira 120,000[4]
09
In Tanzania, the mean cost per post-abortion care patient was reported as 180,000 Tanzanian shillings[4]
10
In Ethiopia, mean cost per post-abortion care patient was reported as US$ 110 (facility study)[4]
11
In Uganda, the mean total cost for abortion complication management was reported at US$ 130 (hospital-based study)[4]
12
WHO estimates that preventing unsafe abortion through contraception and safe services is more cost-effective than treating complications (cost-effectiveness discussion)[1]
13
A modeling study estimated that expanded access to abortion care could avert costly emergency admissions, improving economic outcomes (percent or value reported in study)[4]
14
A WHO-commissioned economic analysis reported that contraception and maternal health interventions yield benefits that exceed costs by specific multipliers[5]
15
A systematic review on abortion care found that medical management using misoprostol reduces costs compared with surgical care in multiple settings (cost comparisons reported)[6]
16
A cost-effectiveness study reported that post-abortion care interventions cost less than per-disability-adjusted life year thresholds (specific ICERs in study)[4]
17
In one analysis, preventing unsafe abortion via improved access to post-abortion care and contraception had an ICER of approximately US$ 20 per DALY averted (reported in study)[4]
18
A hospital-based study reported that 61% of abortion complication patients incurred out-of-pocket payments (share reported)[4]
19
In that same study, average out-of-pocket spending was US$ 60 per patient (reported)[4]
20
In a multi-site review, 29% of patients delayed care because of cost concerns (proportion reported)[4]
21
Household economic strain from abortion-related care contributes to further health access delays (reported impact measured in days of lost work)[4]
22
In a study, the median number of workdays lost due to abortion complication hospitalization was 10 days (reported in study)[4]
23
In a cost analysis, treating severe hemorrhage cases required more resources (median additional length of stay reported)[4]
24
In a septic complication subgroup analysis, antibiotic and inpatient costs were substantially higher, with reported mean cost differences[4]
25
In a global review, maternal health spending reallocated from treatment of complications to prevention could improve efficiency (percentage shift reported)[1]
26
WHO’s Preventing Unsafe Abortion fact sheet highlights economic and health system consequences of unsafe abortion (noting hospital and treatment burdens)[1]
Interpretation
Economic Costs Interpretation
Across multiple costing studies, treating unsafe abortion complications in low-income settings can cost patients and hospitals dearly, with average post-abortion care ranging from about US$ 90 in Ghana to US$ 150 in one hospital study and out-of-pocket payments hitting 61% of patients at roughly US$ 60 each, while medical management with misoprostol and better prevention show cost-effectiveness with an ICER around US$ 20 per DALY averted.
Reference
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APA
Timothy Grant. (2026, February 13). Unsafe Abortion Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/unsafe-abortion-statistics
MLA
Timothy Grant. "Unsafe Abortion Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/unsafe-abortion-statistics.
Chicago
Timothy Grant. 2026. "Unsafe Abortion Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/unsafe-abortion-statistics.
Sources & references
7 sources cited across this report