Improving termination of pregnancy services in New Zealand

The aim of this article is to review evidence of the access and timeliness of termination of pregnancy (TOP) services to date in New Zealand and to provide clinic level and policy recommendations for service improvement. Compared to other countries, New Zealand successfully provides access to TOP services regardless of ability to pay, yet still lags behind other OECD countries in timeliness of services. There are clear differences in the organisational structure of clinics around the country, the most striking difference being between the private and public sectors. Streamlining referral pathways, expanding the availability of medical TOPs, and improving the organisational structure of clinics would all contribute to improving the timeliness of services and therefore the quality of care received by women. Improvements in the timeliness of TOP services in New Zealand are needed and achievable, even without legislative changes.