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Almost half of all pregnancies are unintended

UNFPA: Nearly half of pregnancies are unintended - Photo 1.

More than 60% of unwanted pregnancies result in abortions.

Groundbreaking report sheds light on dark areas: Evidence shows action is needed to respond to a neglected crisis – Unintended pregnancy warns this human rights crisis will take its toll profound consequences for society, for women and girls, as well as for global health. According to UNFPA, affected women and girls are completely left out of the decision to get pregnant, when it is the reproductive choice that has the greatest impact on their lives.

More than 60% of unintended pregnancies result in abortions and about 45% of abortions are unsafe, accounting for 5-13% of all maternal deaths, greatly impacting the ability to achieve the Goals. Sustainable development goals of the world.

Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA emphasized, unwanted pregnancy leads to maternal mortality. The report shows that the rate of unwanted pregnancy is strongly linked with gender inequality, low socio-economic development and more restrictions on sexual and reproductive rights. The report also points out the profound consequences of unwanted pregnancy: declining health, lack of education, loss of income and increased difficulties in the family. Unintended pregnancy costs billions of dollars more in health system spending and leads to worse outcomes for future generations.

Dr Natalia Kanem said: “This report is a wake-up call for us. The overwhelming number of unintended pregnancies shows a global failure to protect the basic human rights of women and girls. By directly empowering women and girls with this most basic decision-making power, society can ensure that motherhood is an aspiration, not an inevitable one.”

The State of World Population Report is an important annual publication of UNFPA. Published every year since 1978, the report sheds light on new issues in the areas of sexual and reproductive health and rights, while making the issue a primary concern, exploring the challenges and the opportunities they pose for international development.

In this year’s report, UNFPA points to some justifiably alarming findings. First, gender inequality and stunted development lead to high rates of unintended pregnancy.

Globally, an estimated 257 million women want to avoid pregnancy but are not using safe, modern methods of contraception. According to the collected data, nearly a quarter of women cannot refuse sex. A variety of other important factors also contribute to unwanted pregnancy, including: Lack of care and information about sexual and reproductive health; Contraceptive options are not suitable for a woman’s body or circumstances; harmful norms and stigma surrounding women’s control of their own bodies and reproduction; sexual violence and forced childbirth; judgmental or disparaging attitudes in health services; poverty and stalled economic development; gender inequality…

All of these factors reflect the maternal pressure that society places on women and girls. An unwanted pregnancy may not be a personal issue but rather a result of society not giving women enough autonomy or due to the value placed on their lives.

The second major finding was that when the crisis hit, unwanted pregnancies increased. Crisis and conflict deprive women of their right to self-determination at all levels, the report said, significantly increasing the risk of major unintended pregnancy at its peak. Women often lose access to contraception and sexual violence increases, with some studies showing that over 20% of refugee women and girls will face sexual violence. In Afghanistan, war and disruption to health systems are expected to lead to around 4.8 million unwanted pregnancies by 2025. That will threaten stability, peace and recovery. common to this country.

“If you only had 15 minutes to leave the house, what would you bring? Passport? Food? Do you remember to bring pills or contraceptives?”, Dr. Natalia Kanem asked. “In the days, weeks, and months after the crisis breaks out, sexual and reproductive health care and protection services will save lives, protecting women and girls from these dangers,” he said. harm, and at the same time prevent unwanted pregnancy. These services are just as important as food, water and shelter.”

In light of this reality, the UNFPA report urges decision-makers and health systems to prioritize preventing unwanted pregnancy through improved access, acceptability, quality, variety of contraceptive methods, while significantly expanding information, quality sexual and reproductive health care services.

The report also calls on policymakers, community leaders and all individuals to empower women and girls to make informed decisions about sex, contraception and motherhood. ; at the same time, promote social recognition of the full worth of women and girls. If this is done, women and girls will be able to contribute fully to society, plus they will have the tools, information and power to make basic choices for themselves about whether to have children or not. are not.

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