
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Snook, Simon 
A1  - Silva, Martha 
T1  - Abortion services in a high-needs district: a community-based model of care
JF  - Journal of Primary Health Care
JO  - J Prim Health Care
Y1  - 2013
VL  - 5
IS  - 2
SP  - 151
EP  - 153
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/HC13151 
N2  - INTRODUCTION: In 2009, a high-deprivation district health board in New Zealand set up a community-based abortion clinic in order to provide a local service and to avoid out-of-region referrals. The service offers medical abortions for women with pregnancies of up to 63 days&#x92; gestation, and surgical abortion with local anaesthetic for women with pregnancies of up to 14 weeks&#x92; gestation. AIM: To describe the services developed and assess safety and timeliness for the first year of community-based services. METHODS: An audit of clinical records for patients seen in 2010 was performed in order to obtain data on location of services, timeliness, safety and complications. RESULTS: Eighty-two percent of locally provided abortions in 2010 were medical abortions, completed on average less than two days after referral to the service. One percent of patients experienced haemorrhaging post abortion, and 4% had retained products. These rates are within accepted standards for an abortion service. DISCUSSION: This report illustrates that a community-based model of care can be both clinically and culturally safe, while providing a much-needed service to a high-needs population. KEYWORDS: Abortion, induced; community health services; delivery of health care; New Zealand 
ER  -

