The latest estimates from Sedgh and colleagues of abortion incidence show similar abortion rates independent of the legal status of abortion: 37 abortions per 1000 women aged 15–44 years where abortion is illegal under all circumstances, and 34 per 1000 where it is legally available upon request. The obvious interpretation is that criminalising abortion does not prevent it but, rather, drives women to seek illegal services or methods. But this simple story overlooks the many women who, in the absence of safe legal services, carry unwanted pregnancies to term—about half the women denied legal abortions in small studies in Tunisia,South Africa, and Nepal. The similarity of abortion rates across legal settings for abortion does not reflect a one-for-one exchange of illegal abortion for legal abortion. Women who live in countries where abortion is illegal often have little access to the whole range of family planning services, including contraceptive supplies, counselling, information, and safe abortion. As a consequence of increased rates of unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion, such women face an increased risk of maternal mortality and bear children that they are not ready to care for and often cannot afford