Ethical and Global Health Perspectives on Obstetric Healthcare and Safe Abortions in Refugee and Internally Displaced Populations

Abstract

Statement of Significance Literature demonstrates women living in poverty in remote areas are less likely to receive adequate health care, particularly in regard to obstetrics and gynecology. Lack of medical care during childbirth is associated with significant maternal mortality due to otherwise readily prevented or treated causes. While reproductive healthcare for women in all 'developing nations' merits consideration, this catch-all term for under-resourced regions obscures disproportionate burdens faced by a heterogeneous collection of communities facing disparate barriers to health care. Displaced women, both externally as refugees or within their nation of origin, face maternal morbidity and mortality rates at nearly twice the world average. Displaced women and those in countries deemed as undergoing a humanitarian crisis, represent the majority of all maternal deaths—both globally and among developing nations. This article considers the current state of women's health in displaced populations. Data on morbidity, mortality, and disparities in reproductive health demonstrate a violation of their human rights as defined by well-established ethical paradigms and international declarations. The onus of guaranteeing human rights to reproductive health falls well within the purview of the international medical community. Medical providers and medical organizations have a responsibility to recognize and amend these disparities and this article concludes by offering practical approaches toward this end.