The Lancet, a leading international medical journal has urged U.S. Food and Drug Administration to make the emergency contraception as an over-the-counter drug.

The journal, in its upcoming May 20 edition, has said that acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach must make an independent decision on Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc's bid to sell its Plan B or "morning after pill", without prescription

Police in India began investigating 21 doctors accused of aborting female fetuses on Monday. The investigation began after women organized a protest March in the Rajasthan region to oppose the practice.

The alleged practice was made known to the public last month after a TV station aired reports on female feticides

Colombia's constitutional court has granted permission to have abortion in cases of rape, incest or if the life of the mother or fetus is in danger.

The ruling, which has long been the subject of debate in this Roman Catholic country, was voted by a majority of 5-3, thus bringing Colombia into line with most of its Latin America neighbours

Health officials said Monday they have ruled out the abortion pill RU-486 in one of two deaths in women who had taken the drug. The second remains under investigation.

Earlier four women have died of a rare but deadly infection by Clostridium sordellii after undergoing pill-triggered abortions. FDA has warned doctors to watch for infection by the bug. However, the drug, also called Mifeprex or mifepristone, has not been proved to be the cause in any of those cases, the FDA said

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm has signed a legislation that allows abortion clinics to perform ultrasounds for women considering abortion procedures.

The law doesn't require clinics to do the imaging, but gives them the option. Before this law was signed into effect, clinics were allowed to give women a chance to review diagrams of a developing fetus, but not their own