title: Conscientious objection to provision of legal abortion care.
abstract: Despite advances in scientific evidence, technologies, and human rights rationale for providing safe abortion, a broad range of cultural, regulatory, and health system barriers that deter access to abortion continues to exist in many countries. When conscientious objection to provision of abortion becomes one of these barriers, it can create risks to women's health and the enjoyment of their human rights. To eliminate this barrier, states should implement regulations for healthcare providers on how to invoke conscientious objection without jeopardizing women's access to safe, legal abortion services, especially with regard to timely referral for care and in emergency cases when referral is not possible. In addition, states should take all necessary measures to ensure that all women and adolescents have the means to prevent unintended pregnancies and to obtain safe abortion.
authors: UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: johnsonb@who.int.
authors: Brooke R
authors: BR
authors: Johnson
authors: Independent International Human Rights Lawyer, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Eszter
authors: E
authors: Kismödi
authors: UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Monica V
authors: MV
authors: Dragoman
authors: UNDP/UNFPA/UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors: Marleen
authors: M
authors: Temmerman
mesh_terms: D000029:Abortion, Legal / Q000941:ethics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000941:ethics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D016079:Refusal to Treat / Q000941:ethics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012938:Social Perception; D016387:Women's Health / Q000941:ethics; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration
keywords: Abortion; Conscientious objection; Human rights; Maternal health; Women's health