The commentary by Horga et al.1 on the consequences of Ceauşescu's attempt to ban abortion in Romania is a stark reminder of what happens when women are prevented from accessing safe and legal means to end problem pregnancies. In short, they end their pregnancies using means that are unlawful and/or unsafe, sometimes with tragic consequences.

Although it is difficult to compare any country today with the repressive, restrictive climate of Romania in the 1960s and 1970s, a reminder of the contribution that adequate birth control, including abortion, makes to women's health is important. Politicians in Ireland – and the UK, since abortion is still outlawed in the Northern Ireland …