{"id":293870,"date":"2023-06-28T14:37:07","date_gmt":"2023-06-28T19:37:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=293870"},"modified":"2023-06-27T16:53:52","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T21:53:52","slug":"who-abortion-handbook-killing-saves-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/who-abortion-handbook-killing-saves-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"WHO issues new abortion handbook after arguing that killing the preborn ‘saves lives’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a handbook for committing surgical and telemedicine abortions via the abortion pill regimen, while downplaying any impact on mental health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a <\/span>press release<\/span><\/a>, the WHO touted the handbook for \u201cdetail[ing] practically how health workers can apply human rights principles in their work to deliver abortion care.\u201d In reality, the WHO\u2019s \u201cClinical practice handbook for quality abortion care\u201d outlines ways for physicians to systematically violate the preborn\u2019s human rights while endangering women\u2019s health.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 66-page guidebook is intended to facilitate the application of the WHO\u2019s <\/span>\u201c<\/span>Abortion care guideline<\/span><\/a>,\u201d which insists on \u201c[a]bortion care\u201d being \u201ctimely, affordable, non-discriminatory and respectful.\u201d It contains information on surgical abortions, as well as dosage instructions for mifepristone and misoprostol, the two drugs typically used in the abortion pill regimen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Telemedicine is included as a \u201crecommended option as an alternative to in-person interactions with the health worker to deliver medical abortion services in whole or in part.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It adds: <\/span><\/p>\n

This means that the assessment of eligibility for medical abortion, counselling and\/or instruction relating to the abortion process, instruction for and active facilitation of the administration of medicines, and follow-up post-abortion care can all be provided through telemedicine. Telemedicine services should include referrals (based on the woman\u2019s location) for medicines (abortion and pain control medicines), any abortion care or post-abortion follow-up required (including for emergency care if needed), and for post-abortion contraceptive <\/span>services, which may apply to both medical and surgical abortion.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

WHO Head of the Comprehensive Abortion Care Unit Dr. Bela Ganatra touted medicinal abortions in a press release.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMedical abortion has played a seminal role in expanding access to safe abortion globally, especially for women and girls in the most vulnerable situations who may lack access to health facilities or need to keep their abortion private by avoiding hospital stays, so it\u2019s important that healthcare practitioners can facilitate it as an option for abortion care,\u201d said Ganatra.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pro-life doctors have repeatedly warned about the dangers of telemedicine abortions and the abortion pill more generally. After recent court decisions, blue states started <\/span>stocking up<\/span><\/a> on misoprostol and mifepristone as an insurance policy against nationwide prohibitions. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has liberalized access to the pill by eliminating the in-person dispensing requirement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n