Dear Friend,

When a patient’s life is on the line, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) staff will use every tool and technique available to keep them safe. 

When it comes to providing comprehensive reproductive health care, MSF’s approach can include family planning services, pre- and post-natal consultations, and emergency obstetric care. In many cases, it also includes safe abortion care.

Unsafe abortion is a leading cause of maternal death worldwide, and these deaths are almost entirely preventable. A pregnant person dies every 23 minutes as a result of unsafe abortion, and those who survive can face serious health consequences.

The core of our work is to protect the health of the people in our care, and we are duty-bound to raise our voices and speak out on behalf of our patients. Every day in our work in more than 70 countries worldwide, we see that people of color, people in poverty, and those living in remote areas are unable to access safe reproductive health services. People trapped by war, crisis, and conflict often face additional barriers to accessing these essential medical services.

MSF’s first principle of “do no harm” is more than words; it is a moral obligation to do everything in our power to prevent pain and suffering. That is why MSF has made safe abortion care an essential component of our reproductive and maternal health services. Every safe abortion provided is potentially a maternal death prevented.

For more than 50 years, MSF has provided these essential services to ensure everyone, no matter where they live or how much money they have, can access high quality health care when they need it most. 

At MSF, we recognize that our values of impartiality and neutrality are not synonymous with silence. I want you to know that everyone at MSF-USA feels the tremendous weight of this moment when access to safe abortion care is under threat in this country, and we are eternally grateful for your continued support of our work around the world.

Learn more about our approach to comprehensive reproductive health care in more than 70 countries.

Sincerely,

Avril Benoît
Executive Director
MSF-USA