Abstract
Objective: Discuss abortion and public health in Brazil from the perspective of human rights. Review Bibliography: Abortion is a serious public health problem, especially in developing countries, such as Brazil. Clandestine and unsafe abortion represents one of the main causes of mortality in Brazil. Based on this truth, it is clear that the Brazilian health system does not have an adequate infrastructure to carry out abortions. In addition, most physicians do not agree with this practice and sometimes shy away from performing such a procedure, leading to notorious consequences for women's health, such as choosing to perform an illegal abortion, which is responsible for the fourth cause of maternal death, in Brazil. Final considerations: Thus, this practice brings several physical and psychological consequences, especially if performed in an unsafe way. In Brazil, illegality does not prevent abortion from taking place, being mainly related to social inequality and affirming it as a global public health problem.