Dr. Morakot Kornkasem, Deputy Minister of Public Health, discussed the progress of assisting women who have had abortions after becoming pregnant while unprepared, and found that 40% experienced severe infections post-abortion, leading to a mortality rate of 300 per 100,000. Sixty percent of those who had abortions were teenagers and young people.
There has been a proposal to improve the quality of post-abortion services and medical termination of pregnancy, focusing on treating complications from unsafe abortions, providing counseling to prevent repeat abortions, and using safe and modern technology for medical termination of pregnancy as recommended by the World Health Organization. The Ministry of Public Health will urge all hospitals to quickly adopt the new methods.
The World Health Organization recommends two types of medication for treating post-abortion bleeding and medical termination of pregnancy in the early stages of unwanted pregnancy. These are currently in the process of being registered in Thailand, but they are indicated for use as emergency contraceptives and special control drugs.
Additionally, there is support for doctors to comply with the Medical Council’s regulations on medical termination of pregnancy under Criminal Code Section 305. The Medical Council of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Thailand will oversee the quality of medical services. The Medical Council is urged to expedite the creation of report forms to accompany compliance with the Medical Council’s regulations on medical termination of pregnancy and to clarify and promote understanding among doctors, public health personnel, other professional groups such as police, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, media, and society on this issue.
At the same time, there is a need to accelerate campaigns on prevention by providing education on sex education, safe sexual practices through family planning methods, and contraception. Finally, it is important to build understanding and a positive attitude towards the issue of unsafe abortions.
Source: “Infection after Illegal Abortion Causes 300 Deaths per 100,000.” Pacific News Center, January 2, 2008.
Source: https://www.gotoknow.org/posts/157552 by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanaphan Chuboon