WHO releases “fact sheet” on abortion, yet again demonstrating why we shouldn’t trust them
By Easton Martin | December 9, 2025
The World Health Organization recently published a fact sheet describing abortion as a “safe” health care intervention when performed under certain conditions. This language presents abortion primarily as a matter of safety and access. What it does not acknowledge clearly enough is that abortion, by its very nature, ends the life of a developing human being.
No amount of medical framing changes that biological and moral reality. From the moment of conception, a distinct human organism exists with its own genetic identity, growth trajectory, and inherent dignity. Abortion does not prevent a life from beginning. It intentionally ends a life that has already begun. Any serious discussion of abortion should start from that fact, rather than avoid it.
Even within the World Health Organization’s own reporting, risks to women are acknowledged. A significant portion of abortions worldwide are performed in unsafe conditions. These procedures can involve complications such as hemorrhage, infection, infertility, and in some cases death. When an organization responsible for global health describes abortion as broadly “safe,” it risks minimizing the real medical dangers that many women face, especially in poorer or less regulated environments.
There is also the emotional and psychological dimension that is often underrepresented in institutional reports. Many women report feelings of grief, guilt, or regret following abortions. This does not happen in every case, but it happens often enough to deserve serious and honest attention. Presenting abortion as a routine medical service may discourage women from fully considering these possible outcomes.
Referring to abortion as “health care” or a “right” further distorts public understanding of what health and rights actually mean. Traditionally, health care is understood as care that aims to heal, preserve, or protect human life. Abortion intentionally ends a human life, which stands in tension with that foundational medical ethic.
If the World Health Organization is committed to advancing global health, it should approach this issue with greater moral clarity and caution. Rather than promoting abortion as routine or safe, it should focus on reducing the demand for it by expanding access to prenatal care, material support for pregnant women, adoption services, and education. These approaches protect women’s well being while also honoring the reality that human life has value from its earliest stages.
