Remark

• Legal regulation that limits the availability of abortion by gestational age may require or result in ultrasounds being used to verify gestational age prior to abortion, even though this is not necessary from a clinical perspective. Removing legal gestational age limits on access to abortion (see Recommendation 3) should result in unnecessary pre-abortion ultrasound being avoided, and increase the availability of abortion in settings where ultrasound is difficult to access. * On a case-by-case basis, there may be clinical reasons for using ultrasound scanning prior to abortion.

KEY HUMAN RIGHTS CONSIDERATIONS RELEVANT TO DETERMINING THE GESTATIONAL AGE OF PREGNANCY

• Any information on gestational age should be complete, accurate and evidence based. It should not be provided with the aim of directing decision-making.
• As a form of health information, information on gestational age should be of high quality, accurate and accessible. It should be presented a respectful manner and acceptable to the person receiving it. It should not fuel stigma and discrimination.
• Where information on gestational age is made available, it must be provided to individuals in a way that respects privacy and confidentiality.
• The right to refuse such information when offered must be respected. This includes the right to refuse to view ultrasound images. For further information and sources, please refer to Box 1.2 and Web annex A: Key international human rights standards on abortion.