"Beyond Access: Nursing Strategies for Promoting Safe, Ethical, and Compassionate Abortion Care"

Abstract: Safe abortion care is a critical component of comprehensive reproductive health services and a fundamental aspect of women’s rights, dignity, and health equity. Despite advancements in medical technology and legal reforms in many regions, unsafe abortions continue to contribute significantly to maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Nurses, as frontline healthcare providers, play a pivotal role in ensuring safe abortion services through clinical competence, patient education, advocacy, emotional support, and ethical practice. This review article examines nursing strategies for promoting safe abortion care, emphasizing evidence-based clinical practices, patient-centered counseling, legal and ethical responsibilities, stigma reduction, and post-abortion care. The article synthesizes current literature to highlight the multifaceted role of nurses in delivering safe, respectful, and accessible abortion services across diverse healthcare settings. Strengthening nursing capacity and integrating comprehensive abortion care into nursing practice are essential for improving reproductive health outcomes and advancing global maternal health goals.