IWAC 2026: The 5th International Congress on Women's Health and Unsafe Abortion
- Date
- 24–27 February 2026
- Venue
- Arnoma Grand Hotel, Bangkok
- Organizer
- Women's Health and Reproductive Rights Foundation of Thailand (WHRRF), with the Medical Council of Thailand (TMC) and the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RTCOG)
- Role
- Attendee
- Focus
- Updating knowledge on contraception and pregnancy-prevention counselling, and on safe abortion care
By Dr. Krida Uakridathikarn, M.D., Diplomate, Thai Board of Family MedicineDr. Kris Clinic, Surat Thani
From 24 to 27 February 2026, Dr. Krida Uakridathikarn, family physician at Dr. Kris Clinic, attended IWAC 2026, The 5th International Congress on Women's Health and Unsafe Abortion, at the Arnoma Grand Hotel in Bangkok, to keep his reproductive-health practice in step with current international standards.
The congress was organized by the Women's Health and Reproductive Rights Foundation of Thailand (WHRRF) together with the Medical Council of Thailand and the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, under the theme “Putting Women at Centerstage: New Solutions and Innovations in Safe Abortion”. Over four days, the programme combined pre-congress workshops, lectures and symposia led by Thai and international experts.
On the first day, Dr. Kris took part in a hands-on workshop on long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) implants, which the World Health Organization lists among the most effective reversible methods of contraception. The session reviewed current insertion and removal techniques, the assessment of indications and contraindications, the management of complications, and counselling before and after the procedure.
Across the congress, sessions covered counselling on pregnancy prevention and contraception; safe abortion care using both medication and procedural methods such as vacuum aspiration, as recommended by WHO, to prevent infection and haemorrhage; and mental-health support after the procedure. A key message from the symposia was that early access to care under a physician's assessment greatly reduces complications, whereas taking medication without clinical assessment can be life-threatening, particularly in an ectopic pregnancy.
For Dr. Kris, reproductive healthcare is not a moral debate. Its purpose is to reduce unintended pregnancy, lower the risks of unsafe services, and respect the rights and dignity of everyone who seeks care. What he learned at IWAC 2026 now informs contraceptive counselling at Dr. Kris Clinic: accurate, accessible and non-judgemental.
Photo gallery
