KATHMANDU, MARCH 30
Nearly half of all the pregnancies, totalling 121 million each year throughout the world, are unintended. For a large section of women and girls across the world, the most life-altering reproductive choice - whether or not to become pregnant - is no choice at all, explains the State of World Population 2022 report released today by the UNFPA.
The report, 'Seeing the Unseen: The case for action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy,' warns that this human rights crisis has profound consequences for societies, women and girls and global health. Over 60 per cent of unintended pregnancies end up in abortion and an estimated 45 per cent of all abortions are unsafe, causing 5-13 per cent of all maternal deaths, thereby having a major impact on the world's ability to reach Sustainable Development Goals.
"This report is a wakeup call. The staggering number of unintended pregnancies represents a global failure to uphold women and girls' basic human rights," says UNFPA Executive Director Dr Natalia Kanem. "Our report reveals that the rates of unintended pregnancy strongly correlates with gender inequality, with lower socioeconomic development, and with more restrictions on sexual and reproductive rights," said Kanem.
In Nepal, most unintended pregnancies result from unmet need of modern contraception. About 44 per cent of women of reproductive age (15-49 years) who want to avoid a pregnancy are not using a modern contraceptive method.
Expanding contraceptive services benefits women and their families. It is estimated that for every additional dollar spent on expanding modern contraceptive use, Nepal would save $2 on maternal and newborn care due to fewer unintended births, induced abortions and maternal deaths.
A version of this article appears in the print on March 31, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
