%0 Journal Article %A Heidi B Johnston %A Maria F Gallo %A Janie Benson %T Reducing the costs to health systems of unsafe abortion: a comparison of four strategies %D 2007 %R 10.1783/147118907782101751 %J Journal of Family Planning and Reproductive Health Care %P 250-257 %V 33 %N 4 %X Background and methodology Strategies to reduce health systems costs of providing abortion and post-abortion care while simultaneously improving quality of care are well documented but infrequently applied. We created ‘Savings’, a spreadsheet-based tool that allows policymakers and other stakeholders to estimate and compare the feasibility and sustainability of different strategies of providing abortion and post-abortion care. By applying cost data primarily from Uganda, we showed the per-case costs under four policy and service delivery scenarios. Results The mean per-case cost of abortion care (in US dollars) was #45 within the setting that placed heavy restrictions on elective abortion and used a conventional approach to service delivery; #25 within the restrictive legal setting that used recommended interventions for treating complications; #34 within the legal setting that allowed elective abortion and relied on a conventional approach to service delivery; and #6 within the liberal legal setting that used recommended interventions. Discussion and conclusions Using recommended technical interventions substantially reduced costs regardless of the legal setting. The greatest reduction in costs (86%) occurred from using recommended interventions within a liberal legal setting rather than using conventional interventions within a restricted setting. These findings should support policy and practice efforts to reform abortion laws and to offer accessible, safe abortion services. %U https://srh.bmj.com/content/familyplanning/33/4/250.full.pdf