Almost half of all pregnancies unintended: UN's latest report describes it as "neglected crisis"

The new study indicates half of all pregnancies worldwide, 121 million yearly, are unintended, as per UN Population Funds, describing the situation as a "neglected crisis." 

In the annual State of World Population Report 2022 released on Wednesday, 60 per cent of unintended pregnancies end in abortion, and nearly 45 per cent of abortions are unsafe, resulting in 5 per cent to 13 per cent of maternal deaths. 

The executive director of the fund, Dr Natalia Kanem, stated that the document is a wake-up call, which is now known as the UN Agency for sexual and reproductive health. She stated that the staggering number of unintended pregnancies reflects a global failure to protect the basic human rights of women and girls. For the women affected, the most life-altering reproductive choice, whether or not to become pregnant, is not a choice at all. 

Between 1990 and 2019, the unintended pregnancy rate decreased from 79 to 64 for every 1,000 women aged 15 to 49, providing "some comfort," following the report. However, it was noted that the total number of women experiencing unintended pregnancies increased by about 13 per cent over the 30 years due to population growth.

Approximately 257 million women worldwide who wish to avoid pregnancy are not using safe and modern methods of contraception; as per the fund's research, adding in 47 countries closely, 40 per cent of sexually active women are not using contraceptive methods. 

The UN date of this year, examining the women of reproductive age in 64 countries, indicated that 23 per cent were unable to no to sex, 24 per cent were unfit to make decisions regarding their own health care, and 8 per cent were incapable of making decisions regarding the contraception, the report added. It added that this indicated only 57 per cent of women could make their own decisions over their sexual and reproductive rights. 

Data published in the British medical journal, The Lancet in 2020 stated that around 121 million unintended pregnancies each year from 2015 to 2019, with nearly 48 per cent of all pregnancies being unintended. 

The fund stated that a senior research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, Jonathan Bearak, heads the research that indicated country-by-country data on unintended pregnancies just released by Guttmacher and the World Health Organization. 

"Preventing unintended pregnancies is a non-negotiable first step toward gender equality," Kanem added. She stated that when people have factual information about their health, bodies, and futures, they can contribute to more prosperous societies and a more sustainable, equitable, and just world.

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• State of World Population Report 2022
• UN Population Funds
• UN report
• Unintended pregnancies
• gender equality
• pregnancies
• women
• women rights