Abortion, social inequity, and women's health: obstetrician-gynecologists as agents of change.

Unsafe abortion persists as a serious health problem for women. It is rooted in poverty, social inequity, and denial of women's basic human rights. As experience from Latin America and other regions demonstrates, obstetrician-gynecologists can be leaders in supporting reproductive rights and access to safe abortion, through their professional societies and also by way of their roles as providers, academicians, and advocates. Ob-gyns are often most effective when working in partnership with women's organizations, lawyers, and other stakeholders.