Pregnancies End In Abortion Research Articles

Awareness and Use of Family Planning Methods among Married Women in A Community

Family planning/contraception reduces the need for abortion, especially unsafe abortion, reduces infant mortality, helps prevent HIV/AIDs, reduces adolescent pregnancies and helps to slow down increasing population growth. Over 60% of unintended pregnancies end in abortion, safe or unsafe, legal or illegal. An estimated 45% of all abortions remain unsafe and hospitalizes about 7 million women a year in developing countries. A descriptive cross-sectional research was carried out in ward no.14, Kathmandu Metropolitan city. The objective of this study was to find out awareness and use of Family planning method among married women in a community. Non probability, purposive sampling method was used. Sample size was 68 married women. The respondents mean age was 33.1 years and standard deviation was 6.5 years. All of the respondents (100%) were familiar with condom, pills, depo-provera, female sterilization whereas 95.6% heard about implants. Almost all of the respondents (98.5%) stated implants prevents pregnancy for 5 years and half of them (47.1%) were aware implants doesn't interfere with breast feeding. major source of information regarding family planning methods was from health professionals (80.8%) Whereas husband (13.2) level of awareness regarding family planning methods where 1.5% of the respondents had inadequate awareness, 54.3% had moderately adequate awareness and 44.1% of the respondents had adequate awareness. there is no significant association with age (0.479), duration of marriage (0.325), occupation (0.146) of the mother with level of awareness regarding family planning methods.

Comparing pregnancy and pregnancy outcome rates between adolescents with and without pre-existing mental disorders.

There are limited population-based data on the role of mental disorders in adolescent pregnancy, despite the presence of mental disorders that may affect adolescents' desires and decisions to become pregnant. This study aimed to examine the relationship between specific types of mental disorders and pregnancy rates and outcome types among adolescents aged 13-19 years, using single-year age groups. We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the Merative™ MarketScan Research Databases. The study population consisted of females aged 13-19 years with continuous insurance enrollment for three consecutive calendar years between 2005 and 2015. Pregnancy incidence rates were calculated both overall and within the different categories of mental disorders. The presence of mental disorders, identified through diagnosis codes, was classified into 15 categories. Pregnancy and pregnancy outcome types were determined using diagnosis and procedure codes indicating the pregnancy status or outcome. To address potential over- or underestimations of mental disorder-specific pregnancy rates resulting from variations in age distribution across different mental disorder types, we applied age standardization using 2010 U.S. Census data. Finally, multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the relationships between 15 specific types of mental disorders and pregnancy incidence rates, stratified by age. The age-standardized pregnancy rate among adolescents diagnosed with at least one mental disorder was 15.4 per 1,000 person-years, compared to 8.5 per 1,000 person-years among adolescents without a mental disorder diagnosis. Compared to pregnant adolescents without a mental disorder diagnosis, those with a mental disorder diagnosis had a slightly but significantly higher abortion rate (26.7% vs 23.8%, P-value < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression models showed that substance use-related disorders had the highest odds ratios (ORs) for pregnancy incidence, ranging from 2.4 [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.1-2.7] to 4.5 [95% CI:2.1-9.5] across different age groups. Overall, bipolar disorders (OR range: 1.6 [95% CI:1.4-1.9]- 1.8 [95% CI: 1.7-2.0]), depressive disorders (OR range: 1.4 [95% CI: 1.3-1.5]- 2.7 [95% CI: 2.3-3.1]), alcohol-related disorders (OR range: 1.2 [95% CI: 1.1-1.4]- 14.5 [95% CI: 1.2-178.6]), and attention-deficit/conduct/disruptive behavior disorders (OR range: 1.1 [95% CI: 1.0-1.1]- 1.8 [95% CI: 1.1-3.0]) were also significantly associated with adolescent pregnancy, compared to adolescents without diagnosed mental disorders of the same age. This study emphasizes the elevated rates of pregnancy and pregnancy ending in abortion among adolescents diagnosed with mental disorders, and identifies the particular mental disorders associated with higher pregnancy rates.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Reproductive Health Among Abortion Adolescents in Vietnam.

Adolescent pregnancy is a global issue. The majority of these adolescents experience unintended pregnancy ending in abortion. Knowledge gaps and misconceptions about reproductive health are the main reasons for unintended pregnancy among adolescents. This study aims to identify knowledge, attitudes, practices, and related factors of reproductive health among adolescent post-abortion or those seeking abortion at Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital (HOGH), a tertiary hospital in Vietnam. Ours was a descriptive cross-sectional study of 103 adolescents who sought induced abortions between January 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023. Participants were interviewed directly via questionnaires to collect information. The mean age of participants was 16.3 years. 64.1% of the population did not have general knowledge regarding reproductive health, 42.7% of subjects displayed incorrect attitudes regarding reproductive health. As a result, lack of knowledge and incorrect attitudes led to unsafe sex. The percentage of adolescents practicing unsafe sex is incredibly high (90.3%) thus causing unintended pregnancies. Education levels and family economic status were the main factors linked to knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding reproductive health. Most adolescents seeking abortion had poor KAP regarding reproductive health. Their KAP of reproductive health were linked to levels of education and family economic status. The findings emphasize the need to provide reproductive health care information and services for adolescents, and the need for appropriate attention from both family and society to the target group. We believe this will result in the improvement of their health and the avoidance of unfortunate consequences.

Extra-legal abortion and post-abortion care knowledge, attitudes, and practices among obstetrician-gynecologist clinicians and medical residents in San José, Costa Rica: a qualitative study

BackgroundInduced abortion in Costa Rica is illegal in all cases except to save the life of the pregnant person. Despite severe restrictions to legal abortion, individuals in Costa Rica still induce abortions outside of the formal healthcare system. These individuals and those with spontaneous abortions, also known as miscarriages, occasionally need medical care for complications. In Costa Rica, an estimated 41% of unintended pregnancies end in abortion, yet there is very little published literature exploring the perspectives of healthcare providers on abortion in Costa Rica.MethodsWe interviewed ten obstetrician-gynecologist clinicians and five obstetrician-gynecologist medical residents in San José, Costa Rica about their beliefs and practices related to extra-legal abortion and post-abortion care (PAC) using a Spanish language in-depth semi-structured interview guide. After transcription and translation into English, analysis team pairs used a combination of deductive and inductive coding to identify themes and sub-themes within the data.ResultsObstetrician-gynecologist clinicians and medical residents were aware of the presence of extra-legal abortion, and particularly, medication abortion, in their communities, but less familiar with dosing for induction. They expressed the desire to provide non-judgmental care and support their patients through extra-legal abortion and PAC journeys. Study participants were most familiar with providing care to individuals with spontaneous abortions. When discussing PAC, they often spoke about a policy of reporting individuals who seek PAC following an extra-legal abortion, without commenting on whether or not they followed the guidance.ConclusionsThis study contributes to a gap in research about the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Costa Rican obstetrician-gynecologist clinicians and medical residents around extra-legal abortion and PAC. The results reveal an opportunity to train these healthcare providers as harm reduction experts, who are able to accurately counsel individuals who are seeking abortion services outside of the healthcare system, and to provide training to improve care for individuals needing PAC.

Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion in the US Navy, 2016

BackgroundThe unintended pregnancy rate in the US military is higher than among civilians. While 42% of unintended pregnancies end in abortion among civilian women, there are no data on the prevalence of abortion in the military overall or by service branch.ObjectiveThis analysis was conducted to estimate unintended pregnancy rates and the percentage of unintended pregnancies that resulted in abortion among active-duty US Navy members aged 44 years or younger reporting female gender in 2016.DesignCross-sectional survey data from the 2016 Navy Pregnancy and Parenthood Survey, collected from August to November 2016.ParticipantsOur sample included 3,423 active-duty US Navy members aged 44 years or younger reporting female gender, generated from a stratified random sample of 38% of all active-duty Navy women in pay grades E2-E9 and O1-O5 in 2016; the survey had a 20% response rate for females.Main MeasuresWe calculated pregnancy and unintended pregnancy rates, the percentage of pregnancies that were unintended, and the percentage of unintended pregnancies resulting in birth and abortion in the prior fiscal year.Key ResultsOverall, the self-reported unintended pregnancy rate was 52 per 1,000 participants and 38.1% of pregnancies were unintended. The adjusted unintended pregnancy rate accounting for abortion underreporting was 68 per 1,000 participants. Unintended pregnancy rates were highest among individuals who were younger (aged 18–24) and in enlisted pay grades, compared to their counterparts. Six percent reported their unintended pregnancy resulted in abortion. Six respondents reported becoming pregnant while deployed; none of these pregnancies resulted in abortion.ConclusionsIn this first study to report on abortion prevalence among US servicemembers, we found the proportion of unintended pregnancies resulting in abortion among a sample of US Navy members in 2016 was much lower than civilians, yet unintended pregnancy rates were higher.

Abortion Legalization in Uruguay: Effects on Adolescent Fertility.

The Latin American and Caribbean adolescent fertility rates are among the highest in the world: about 1.7 million children are born to teen mothers every year, and most of them are declared unintended pregnancies. The region also has the highest rate of unintended pregnancy of any world region, and nearly half of such pregnancies end in abortion. However, fewer than 18 percent of the region's women live in countries where abortion is broadly legal. This paper estimates the causal effect of abortion legalization on adolescent fertility in Uruguay using official data on legal abortions provided after the 2012 reform. We employed a difference-in-differences strategy, classifying states by whether they are responsive or unresponsive to the reform. The results suggest that abortion reform had a negative impact on the adolescent birth rate by 2.5-2.8 births per thousand adolescents aged 15-19 (a 4 percent decrease from the preintervention average). Additionally, we exploited variation in reform implementation intensity through the estimation of fixed-effect linear regression models and found consistent results. Our findings are robust to controlling for a concurrent large-scale program of contraceptive implants. We conclude that legislation aimed at enhancing rights and reducing avoidable deaths and complications from unsafe abortions may also have spillover effects that help reduce adolescent fertility.

Unmet need for postpartum long-acting reversible contraception in women with substance use disorders and/or socioeconomic disadvantage.

In Australia, it is estimated that 30% of pregnancies are unintended and 25% of pregnancies end in abortion. Unintended pregnancy can be particularly problematic for women with substance use disorders (SUD) and/or socioeconomic disadvantage. Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) including progestogen implants and intrauterine devices (IUD) are safe, affordable and extremely effective in decreasing rates of unintended pregnancy, yet are currently underutilised in Australia. To determine the current rate of unintended pregnancy, contraception counselling and postpartum LARC use in women who attend an antenatal clinic for SUD and/or socioeconomic disadvantage in pregnancy. We hypothesise that there is an unmet need for contraception in this population. We conducted a retrospective audit of women who birthed in a tertiary hospital in 2018 with SUD and/or additional social support needs. We recorded the rate of unintended pregnancy, the occurrence of antenatal and postpartum contraception counselling and the rate of immediate postpartum LARC uptake through review of our electronic medical database. Of the 210 women in our study population, we identified a high proportion of unintended pregnancies (64%), a low rate of antenatal (11%) and postpartum (35%) contraception counselling, and a low uptake of immediate postpartum LARC use (3.3%), confirming an unmet need for contraception. Further intervention is required to enhance the access to immediate postpartum LARC and reduce the risk and health burden of unintended pregnancy.

Estimating the proportion of Medicaid-eligible pregnant women in Louisiana who do not get abortions when Medicaid does not cover abortion

BackgroundTo estimate the proportion of pregnant women in Louisiana who do not obtain abortions because Medicaid does not cover abortion.MethodsTwo hundred sixty nine women presenting at first prenatal visits in Southern Louisiana, 2015–2017, completed self-administered iPad surveys and structured interviews. Women reporting having considered abortion were asked whether Medicaid not paying for abortion was a reason they had not had an abortion. Using study data and published estimates of births, abortions, and Medicaid-covered births in Louisiana, we projected the proportion of Medicaid births that would instead be abortions if Medicaid covered abortion in Louisiana.Results28% considered abortion. Among women with Medicaid, 7.2% [95% CI 4.1–12.3] reported Medicaid not paying as a reason they did not have an abortion. Existing estimates suggest 10% of Louisiana pregnancies end in abortion. If Medicaid covered abortion, this would increase to 14% [95% CI 12, 16]. 29% [95% CI 19, 41] of Medicaid eligible pregnant women who would have an abortion with Medicaid coverage, instead give birth.ConclusionsFor a substantial proportion of pregnant women in Louisiana, the lack of Medicaid funding remains an insurmountable barrier to obtaining an abortion. Forty years after the Hyde Amendment was passed, lack of Medicaid funding for abortion continues to have substantial impacts on women’s ability to obtain abortions.

Nine months a slave: when pregnancy is involuntary servitude to a foetus

Recent globally compiled evidence suggests that one-quarter of pregnancies end in abortions. However, abortions remain illegal in many countries, resulting in unsafe practices. Debates have largely stalled with the pro-life, pro-choice epithets. To provide further arguments in support of legalising abortion services, we argue that the state cannot demand of a woman that she maintains an unwanted pregnancy because that demand places her in a state of involuntary servitude. Involuntary servitude would put states in breach of international human rights law (Article 8 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights). Furthermore, we argue that the fact that a life may be forfeit when a woman withdraws her service is no basis for enforcing the servitude. We draw on the 13th Amendment of the US Constitution as an example to extend the argument and highlight the need to test involuntary servitude in international human rights law through mechanisms offered in the international periodic review of member states. This could provide a robust approach to support and strengthen access to safe abortion services.

Abortion and subsequent depressive symptoms: an analysis of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.

Twenty states currently require that women seeking abortion be counseled on possible psychological responses, with six states stressing negative responses. The majority of research finds that women whose unwanted pregnancies end in abortion do not subsequently have adverse mental health outcomes; scant research examines this relationship for young women. Four waves of data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were analyzed. Population-averaged lagged logistic and linear regression models were employed to test the relationship between pregnancy resolution outcome and subsequent depressive symptoms, adjusting for prior depressive symptoms, history of traumatic experiences, and sociodemographic covariates. Depressive symptoms were measured using a nine-item version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Analyses were conducted among two subsamples of women whose unwanted first pregnancies were resolved in either abortion or live birth: (1) 856 women with an unwanted first pregnancy between Waves 2 and 3; and (2) 438 women with an unwanted first pregnancy between Waves 3 and 4 (unweighted n's). In unadjusted and adjusted linear and logistic regression analyses for both subsamples, there was no association between having an abortion after an unwanted first pregnancy and subsequent depressive symptoms. In fully adjusted models, the most recent measure of prior depressive symptoms was consistently associated with subsequent depressive symptoms. In a nationally representative, longitudinal dataset, there was no evidence that young women who had abortions were at increased risk of subsequent depressive symptoms compared with those who give birth after an unwanted first pregnancy.

Incidence of induced abortion in Malawi, 2015.

BackgroundIn Malawi, abortion is legal only if performed to save a woman’s life; other attempts to procure an abortion are punishable by 7–14 years imprisonment. Most induced abortions in Malawi are performed under unsafe conditions, contributing to Malawi’s high maternal mortality ratio. Malawians are currently debating whether to provide additional exceptions under which an abortion may be legally obtained. An estimated 67,300 induced abortions occurred in Malawi in 2009 (equivalent to 23 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–44), but changes since 2009, including dramatic increases in contraceptive prevalence, may have impacted abortion rates.MethodsWe conducted a nationally representative survey of health facilities to estimate the number of cases of post-abortion care, as well as a survey of knowledgeable informants to estimate the probability of needing and obtaining post-abortion care following induced abortion. These data were combined with national population and fertility data to determine current estimates of induced abortion and unintended pregnancy in Malawi using the Abortion Incidence Complications Methodology.ResultsWe estimate that approximately 141,044 (95% CI: 121,161–160,928) induced abortions occurred in Malawi in 2015, translating to a national rate of 38 abortions per 1,000 women aged 15–49 (95% CI: 32 to 43); which varied by geographical zone (range: 28–61). We estimate that 53% of pregnancies in Malawi are unintended, and that 30% of unintended pregnancies end in abortion. Given the challenges of estimating induced abortion, and the assumptions required for calculation, results should be viewed as approximate estimates, rather than exact measures.ConclusionsThe estimated abortion rate in 2015 is higher than in 2009 (potentially due to methodological differences), but similar to recent estimates from nearby countries including Tanzania (36), Uganda (39), and regional estimates in Eastern and Southern Africa (34–35). Over half of pregnancies in Malawi are unintended. Our findings should inform ongoing efforts to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality and to improve public health in Malawi.

Determinants of unintended pregnancy and its impact on the health of women in some governorates of Upper Egypt

Background/aim Worldwide, more than half of all unintended pregnancies end in abortion, indicating the preference for increasingly smaller families. The present work aimed to assess the determinants of unintended pregnancy and its impact on women's health in El Fayoum and Benisuef governorates. Participants and methods A community-based cross-sectional household survey was conducted among 827 married women of reproductive age. The study was conducted in two governorates, El Fayoum and Benisuef, for a period of 6 months. Results The current study revealed that 15.9% of women who participated in the study had an unmet need for family planning, with subsequent unintended pregnancy. Higher age of women and her age at the time of marriage, illiteracy, short interpregnancy spacing, exceeding the desired number of children, negative attitude of husbands toward the use of family planning methods, and absence of discussion between partners on the use of means to postpone pregnancy increased the number of unintended pregnancies. Also, women with unintended pregnancy were at a higher risk of experiencing health problems during her pregnancy. Conclusion Despite the efforts taken by family planners, the problem of unintended pregnancy continues to increase in Egypt, with its adverse effect on pregnancy and maternal outcomes. Therefore, the strategy for maternal mortality reduction in Egypt should focus on addressing the unmet needs of high-parity, uneducated, nonworking women.

Perdas fetais espontâneas e voluntárias no Brasil em 1999-2000: um estudo de fatores associados

Despite its illegality in Brazil, about 31% of all pregnancies end in abortion. Most abortions are performed by unskilled personnel and under unsafe conditions, resulting in increased female mortality. This study used data from a cross-sectional representative sample of 3,047 puerperal women, in 1999-2000, part of a national multicenter study on the prevalence of syphilis in Brazil. Of these, 1,838 women with at least one previous pregnancy before the reference pregnancy were included in the analysis. The outcomes studied were voluntary prior fetal loss, spontaneous prior fetal loss, and no prior fetal loss. The analysis was carried out using multinomial logistic regression. The results indicated a high number of fetal losses per woman (up to six); and 31% of the losses were voluntary. The absence of prenatal care, history of STD in the reference pregnancy, and absence of living children were factors that increased the odds of fetal loss. For voluntary fetal loss, being non-white, having more than one partner in the previous year, and an early age at first sexual intercourse also increased the odds of fetal loss. These data confirm the public health relevance of abortion in Brazil. Characteristics related to women´s vulnerability should be considered in family planning programs in order to reduce the number of abortions and their consequences. Counseling must also be provided, targeting women with a previous abortion.

Role of Misoprostol in Missed Abortion

Spontaneous abortion or miscarriage is the spontaneous end of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or fetus is incapable of surviving independently, generally defined in humans at prior to 20 weeks of gestation, but in our country before 28 weeks of gestation. Nearly 20% of all confirmed pregnancies end in abortion. The incidence of this type of abortion is very high during first trimester and decreases with increasing gestational age. Of many types of abortion, missed abortion occurs when the embryo or foetus has died, but a miscarriage has not yet occurred. The retention of a fetus known to be dead for &gt;4 weeks. The cervix is closed and there is no or only slight bleeding. Ultrasound examination shows an empty gestational sac or an embryo/fetus without cardiac activity. Surgical evacuation is the most common method of treatment of missed abortion.It is considered to be safe but carries some risk of complications related to anaesthesia and of surgical complications such as uterine perforation, cervical trauma, intrauterine adhesions and infections. Expectant management and medical treatment are the two other ways of treatment of missed abortion. Based on a review of the published literature, a single dose of 800?g vaginal misoprostol may be offered as an effective, safe and acceptable alternative to the traditional surgical treatment for this indication in the first trimester. Alternatively, 800?g misoprostol can be administered sublingually. Treatment may be repeated twice with a 3-4 hour interval for maximum three doses can be given orally or sublingually. Where as, vaginally, dose can be repeated 6-8 hourly for three doses. For the rest, 12-28 weeks of missed abortion,400?g of misoprostol every 4 hours until expulsion. Majority of cases have the expulsion within 48 hours. After administration of misoprostol, hospitalization is not necessary and the time of expulsion varies considerably. Bleeding may last for more than 14 days with additional days of light bleeding or spotting. The woman should be advised to contact a provider in case of heavy bleeding or signs of infection. A follow up is recommended after 1 to 2 weeks.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjog.v26i2.13787Bangladesh J Obstet Gynaecol, 2011; Vol. 26(2) : 92-99

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Patients Undergoing Abortion In Zagazig University Hospitals

Background: Abortion is a public health concern because of its impact on maternalmorbidity and mortality. Each year, about 79 million unintended pregnancies, excludingmiscarriage, occur worldwide. More than half of these unintended pregnancies end inabortion. The aims of the present study were to; assess the prevalence, risk factors associatedwith abortion in Zagazig university hospitals. A cross sectional design with nested casecontrol design were selected in carrying out this study and representative samples of 800women (400 aborted women and 400 non aborted women) were recruited for this study. Thetools used for data collection were; an interview questionnaire sheet, clinical assessmentform. The results were; the prevalence of abortion as estimated from the registries ofZagazig University Hospital was 25.0 % during the period from August 2010 till July 2011.Risk factors for abortion include; women’s age, consanguinity, education, job status,exposure to pesticide, passive smoking, coffee intake and previous abortion as well asunwanted the current pregnancy. Eleven women were exposed to illegal and unsafe abortionand use misoprostol to induce abortion. It can be concluded that, the prevalence of abortionwas 25.0 % during the period from August 2010 till July 2011. Risk factors for abortioninclude; unhealthy life style, pregnancy complications and history of previous abortion. Thestudy recommended that; relevant nursing curricula must entail a detailed portion aboutabortion, management and post abortal hygiene. And nursing role for women underwentabortion should be recommended in maternity hospital protocols.

Evolución de la incidencia de test de embarazo positivo en adolescentes atendidas en un servicio de urgencias

Introduction The current debate on induced abortion and the age when a young woman is considered mature to have this without parental consent, shows the need to know the real importance of adolescent pregnancy in the Emergency Department. Objectives a) To determine the adolescent pregnancy rate variation in the Emergency Department during last 12 years; b) to determine the characteristics of the pregnant adolescent and the outcome of their pregnancies. Material and methods Retrospective study of pregnant adolescents diagnosed in the Emergency Department between July 1, 1997 and June 30, 2009. Pregnancy rates were calculated per 1000 annual female adolescent consultations. Two periods were considered: 1/from July 1, 1997 to June 30, 2003 and 2/from July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2009. Results Eighty-three pregnancies were diagnosed in adolescents. Pregnancy rates varied from 0.5 to 2.0 per 1000 females; an increased trend in adolescent pregnancy rate was observed in the second period. Metrorrhagia, abdominal pain and vomiting were the most frequent complaints. There were 62 on-going pregnancies, 20 abortions and one ectopic pregnancy. Only 35 of the outcomes of the 62 on-going pregnancies were known: 19 ended in live birth, 11 in induced abortion and 4 in stillbirth. Conclusions The adolescent pregnancy rate is low; nevertheless an increased trend is being observed in the last few years. Many adolescents diagnosed with pregnancy had nonspecific complaints, so it is important to ask about sexual habits in all adolescents. A high percentage of diagnosed pregnancies end in abortion.

Abortion Care for Adolescents

Over 800,000 pregnancies occur among adolescents annually in the United States. The majority of teen pregnancies are unintended and one-third of these pregnancies end in abortion. As in older reproductive age women, medical and surgical abortions are safe and well tolerated by adolescents. Short-term morbidity is uncommon and no long-term adverse health or psychologic sequelae are associated with uncomplicated abortion. Adolescents encounter unique barriers in accessing abortion services that delay care and increase the cost and complexity of abortion. Clinicians function as a key resource for accurate information and support for adolescents with undesired pregnancies.

EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION: Nurses Can Empower Women

Despite the record number of contraception options available today unintended pregnancy occurs for a significant number of women. In more than half of these pregnancies the couple was using some form of birth control to prevent pregnancy. Most birth control methods are effective in preventing pregnancy when used accurately and consistently but condoms slip or break or a pill can be forgotten. Unplanned pregnancy is a major health economic and social issue for women. Approximately half of all unplanned pregnancies end in abortion. The rate of unintended pregnancy in the U.S. has decreased during the past decade but is highest among young less-educated and lower-income women. Factors that have contributed to the decline in unintended pregnancy include: decreased adolescent sexual activity; increased use and effectiveness of contraceptives; improved federal funding for family planning services. (excerpt)

Use of Contraception and Abortion in Greece: A Review

Greece has one of the highest rates of abortions in Europe and a very low prevalence of contraceptive use apart from withdrawal and condoms. Based on limited data from the past 30 years, this paper describes the context in which Greek women make reproductive decisions, and the history of family planning and abortion policies and services in Greece. It shows that in spite of the persistence of the traditional importance placed on marriage and motherhood, the fertility rate in Greece is very low. Sex education is still not included in the school curriculum, and the lack of accurate information on contraception and the prevention of unwanted pregnancy, especially in adolescence, still have critical repercussions for women's life choices. Although the public sector has been required to provide family planning services since 1980, only 2% of women of reproductive age were accessing these services in 1990, based mainly in urban centres. In 2001, one in four women of reproductive age had had at least one unwanted pregnancy ending in abortion; the rate was one in ten in the 16–24 age group and one in three in the 35–45 age group. With an almost complete lack of preventive policies in Greece, women continue to have to rely on abortion to control births.

As Desired Fertility Falls, Contraceptive Services Help Women Avoid Abortions

This article presents a study showing the effects of family planning (FP) services on abortion in the context of rapid fertility decline in Matlab Bangladesh. (Although most abortion is illegal in Bangladesh early abortion through menstrual regulation is allowed.) It is noted that in an area of Matlab Bangladesh where an intensive maternal and child health and FP program has been delivering high-quality services about one in 10 unintended pregnancies end in abortion. This is the same proportion as in a comparison area where women receive standard government services. Women in the program area have more contact with community health workers a wider variety of contraceptive methods from which to choose and a consistently lower unmet need for contraception than women in the comparison area. Moreover women in the program area were more likely than those in the comparison area to use highly effective methods. Between 1984-89 and 1990-95 the proportion of pregnancies ending in abortion increased in both areas. However the proportion of pregnancies ending in an abortion was lower in the program area.