Description
This app provides comprehensive, user-friendly information on safe abortion. It presents health information in an easy-to-understand, nonjudgmental, well-illustrated style.
The app’s pregnancy calculator helps those wishing to end a pregnancy to determine their options, and clear, illustrated information describes what can be expected from safe abortions with pills, MVA, and D&E, and how to address possible complications should they arise. To be used alone or shared among friends, healthcare workers and women’s health advocates, Safe Abortion is designed to ensure user privacy. Once downloaded, this app operates totally offline, without a data plan or internet access. The name beneath the icon shows only as “SA” for discretion. By meeting the need for reliable, understandable and actionable information, this app can help prevent the harm caused by unsafe abortion and attempts to restrict access to reproductive health.
The app’s main menu is located at the top left corner of the pink header. Use the menu to navigate to the app’s features and information, including:
1. “Pregnancy calculator” is a tool that helps you determine how many weeks pregnant you are. Enter the date your last period started and the app will suggest a safe abortion method.
2. “Key information” provides essential information you need to know about abortion with pills, with links to learn more throughout the app.
3. “Information by country” explains legality and gives links to local and international organizations that can help.
4. “Safe methods of abortion” explains and compares abortion with pills, suction and dilation and evacuation.
5. “Abortion with pills” describes the correct doses for and ways to use misoprostol (with or without mifepristone) for medical abortions at different weeks of pregnancy. It also describes the correct doses of anti-nausea, and painkiller medicines which may be needed.
6. “After the abortion” describes what you might experience physically or emotionally and provides suggestions for how to care for your body and your feelings. Other information includes how to prevent infection, how long before monthly bleeding returns and when it is safe to resume sex.
7. “Warning signs” explains what to do if there is fever, excessive pain or bleeding, or other worrisome signs, providing clear indications when clinical or emergency help is needed.
8. “Start birth control” describes various methods to avoid getting pregnant.
9. An extensive “FAQs” section provides answers to more than 30 questions about abortion procedures and concerns.
10. “More resources'' includes links to video, online and print resources on reproductive health, gender-based violence and more.
Other features:
By selecting the star at the top of a page, users can save (bookmark) that page. Access that and other previously saved pages by selecting the star icon in the orange bar at the bottom of the app.
The audio icon in the lower orange bar allows you to start the read aloud function.
The orange search bar at the top allows users to search for specific information quickly or use the arrow to go back to a previous page.
Click the gear icon in the pink bar at the top to learn about Hesperian Health Guides, switch between available languages, learn about the privacy policy, get help using the app, and share the app by email, text or social media.
Language choices in the app include Afaan Oromoo, Amharic, English, Español, Français, Igbo, Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, Luganda, Yoruba, and Português.
In an age of increasing restrictions on access to reproductive rights and services, this app provides needed information without collecting your data.