Global Safe Abortion Calculator projects $728 million in annual savings with universal access

Melbourne, Australia– The Guttmacher Institute has announced a new online calculator designed to estimate the transformative impact of expanding access to safe abortion services worldwide.

The Safe Abortion Calculator, unveiled today, 29 April at the Women Deliver Conference in Melbourne, provides policymakers, budget planners, and advocates with evidence that protecting access to safe abortion care not only improves health outcomes but is also a cost-saving investment. The tool is accompanied by an analysis outlining how its estimates can be applied in practice.

“Tens of millions of people each year face the potentially devastating and entirely preventable consequences of unsafe abortion,” said Elizabeth Sully. “While safe abortion is widely recognised as a human right, these essential services are often deprioritised. The Safe Abortion Calculator demonstrates that safe abortion care is a critical public health service with a significant return on investment.”

According to the institute, about 48 million abortions occurred in 2024 across the low- and middle-income countries included in the calculator’s analysis, regardless of whether abortion is broadly legal or restricted. Abortion is considered very safe when performed using appropriate methods by trained providers, or when individuals have access to accurate information and quality medications for self-managed care. In contrast, lack of access to safe services can lead to complications such as haemorrhage, infection, chronic pain, and infertility.

The institute emphasised that providing safe abortion care is more effective for patients, providers, and health systems than relying on emergency treatment for complications.

The Safe Abortion Calculator enables users to select a geographic region or one of 117 low- and middle-income countries and instantly view key indicators, including the proportion of abortions that are safe, the number of patients requiring post-abortion care, and the current cost burden on health systems.

The analysis shows that achieving near-universal access to safe abortion care across these countries could result in annual cost savings of approximately $728 million, largely by reducing the need for expensive treatment of complications. Savings vary by country depending on service costs and current access levels.

“Around the world, the expansion of safe abortion care has been driven by committed human rights advocates,” said Destiny Lopez. “At a time of shrinking health and development budgets, this tool provides further evidence that sexual and reproductive rights are not only fundamental human rights but also sound economic investments.”

Governments have repeatedly committed to protecting access to safe abortion services through regional and global platforms, including the African Union, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Southern African Development Community, among others.

Despite these commitments, the institute reports that two-thirds of abortions in 2024 across the 117 countries analysed—approximately 32 million out of 48 million—were unsafe. In the context of global health funding constraints, some policymakers may view expanded access as unaffordable. However, the Safe Abortion Calculator challenges this assumption, showing that advancing human rights in this area can also deliver economic benefits.

The tool complements the institute’s Family Planning Investment Impact Calculator, with both reinforcing evidence that contraception and safe abortion care are among the most cost-effective health interventions. These services not only reduce health system costs but also enhance women’s economic participation and financial autonomy, contributing to broader economic growth.

The calculator’s cost estimates account for drugs and medical supplies, staffing, and broader system expenses, including infrastructure, management, and training.