Remarks

• The above recommendation applies to assessment of eligibility for medical abortion, counselling and/or instruction relating to the abortion process, providing instruction for and active facilitation of the administration of medicines, and follow-up post-abortion care, all through telemedicine.
• Hotlines, digital apps or one-way modes of communication (e.g. reminder text messages) that simply provide information were not included in the review of evidence for this recommendation.

Implementation consideration

• Telemedicine services should include referrals (based on the woman’s 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 services, which may apply to both medical and surgical abortion.

KEY HUMAN RIGHTS CONSIDERATIONS RELEVANT TO SERVICE-DELIVERY MODELS

• States should develop and enforce evidence-based standards and guidelines for the provision and delivery of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, and such guidance must be routinely updated to incorporate medical advancements. At the same time, States are required to provide age-appropriate, evidence-based, scientifically accurate comprehensive education for all on SRH.
• SRH services must be available, accessible, affordable, acceptable of good quality. This means that delivery of services must be respectful of the culture of individuals, minorities, peoples and communities, and sensitive to gender, age, disability, sexual diversity and life-cycle requirements.
• States must take steps to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity.
• States must make accurate, evidence-based abortion information available to individuals on a confidential basis
• States must ensure delivery of services on the basis of non-discrimination and equality.
• States must ensure delivery of services in a way that respects the right to scientific progress, meaning that States should ensure access to modern and safe forms of contraception, including emergency contraception, abortion medicines, assisted reproductive technologies, and other SRH goods and services, on the basis of non-discrimination and equality. For further information and sources, please refer to Box 1.2 and Web annex A: Key international human rights standards on abortion.