In PNG, induced abortion to save a

In PNG, induced abortion to save a woman’s life or to
preserve her physical and mental health may be granted on
agreement by two medical officers. However, virtually no
safe abortions take place in government facilities throughout
the country. Under PNG’s Criminal Code Act, abortion
for socio-cultural reasons or on request remains illegal
[27]. Despite the criminal law surrounding abortion, induced,
unsafe abortions are known to be practised, although
documented evidence is limited. Traditional, herbal
abortifacients and physical and mechanical means to end
an unwanted pregnancy are described from a number of
societies within PNG [19,28,29]. Self-starvation, selfpoisoning,
avoidance of antenatal care, and the use of traditional
and modern contraceptives, such as the “morning
after pill” to terminate an unwanted pregnancy are reported
[19]. More recently, as part of a wider behavioural
surveillance survey undertaken in Port Moresby, reports of
unsafe abortion included the use of herbal medicines and