❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks data on abortion complications and outcomes, but the answers reveal significant gaps in data collection by the Department of Health. This raises concerns about monitoring the safety and long-term health of women undergoing abortions.
AnsweredQoN 693Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to abortion care clinical guidelines and the requirement for data collection on adverse outcomes for each year from 2015-16 to 2023-24, and I ask: (a) how many women experienced complications during or directly after a surgical abortion requiring: (i) emergency department presentation; (ii) hospital admission; (iii) blood transfusion; (iv) surgical intervention for incomplete abortion; and (v) treatment for infection; (b) how many maternal deaths have occurred in Western Australia where the primary cause of death was a complication resulting from a surgical abortion; (c) how many failed medical abortions have required surgical completion; (d) how many malpractice claims or complaints have been lodged against abortion providers; (e) how many women have required a hysterectomy following abortion complications; and (f) what long-term follow-up occurs for women who experience severe abortion complications?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 November 2025
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health
Response time
8 days
(a) Information collected by the Department for these complications do not include association with surgical abortion.
(b) The framework for the collection and disclosure of abortion information under the Public Health Act 2016 restricts the provision of this information.
(c) Information collected by the Department for surgical procedures do not include association with surgical abortion.
(d) The Department of Health does not collect this information from licensed hospitals.
(e) Information collected by the Department for hysterectomy do not include association with surgical abortion.
(f) Long-term follow-up is conducted in accordance with relevant obstetric and gynaecological guidelines, specific to the complication that has occurred.
(b) The framework for the collection and disclosure of abortion information under the Public Health Act 2016 restricts the provision of this information.
(c) Information collected by the Department for surgical procedures do not include association with surgical abortion.
(d) The Department of Health does not collect this information from licensed hospitals.
(e) Information collected by the Department for hysterectomy do not include association with surgical abortion.
(f) Long-term follow-up is conducted in accordance with relevant obstetric and gynaecological guidelines, specific to the complication that has occurred.
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