**5. Evolution of post abortion care**

Post Abortion Care (PAC) was developed to stem the maternal mortality and morbidity arising from unsafe abortions especially in countries with restrictive abortion laws. It is defined as an approach for reducing mortality and morbidity from incomplete and unsafe abortion and resulting complications, and for improving women's sexual and reproductive health and lives (Post abortion Care Consortium Community Task Force, 2002). It was first articulated by Ipas, US based non-governmental organization, in 1991, and later published by the Post Abortion Care Consortium in 1995. However, the role of safe abortion services in the improvement of women's health was recognized in the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). At this conference, participants agreed that "in circumstances where abortion is not against the law, such abortion should be safe. In all cases women should have access to quality services for the management of complications arising from abortion" (ICPD, 1994).
