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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
07:28
Auricular Point Acupressure Therapy: A Safe and Effective Treatment for Postsurgical Abortion Recovery
Published on: February 3, 2026
Contraceptive use, fertility, and unsafe abortion in developing countries
Elisabeth L Ahman1, Iqbal H Shah
1UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.
Summary
Unsafe abortion persists despite increased contraceptive use. Improving access to reversible contraceptives and sterilization can reduce unsafe abortions, especially where legal safe abortion is limited.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Reproductive Health
- Demography
Background:
- Unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortions remain significant global health challenges.
- An estimated 19 million unsafe abortions occur annually, often in unhygienic conditions by unskilled providers.
- This study examines the interplay between contraceptive use and unsafe abortion in developing regions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between contraceptive prevalence and unsafe abortion rates.
- To understand how fertility regulation is achieved through contraception versus unsafe abortion in regions with restricted legal abortion access.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of existing data on unsafe abortion, total fertility rate, and contraceptive prevalence.
- Data were analyzed across different geographical regions.
Main Results:
- High rates of unsafe abortion persist even with rising contraceptive prevalence and declining fertility.
- Reliance on sterilization for family limitation may follow a period of using unsafe abortion for birth spacing in restricted settings.
Conclusions:
- Enhancing access to reversible contraceptives for birth spacing and sterilization for limiting childbearing can decrease reliance on unsafe abortion during fertility transition.
- Expanding contraceptive choices and ensuring a balanced method mix are crucial strategies to prevent unsafe abortion.
- Further research is needed to understand the association between contraceptive method choice and unsafe abortion incidence.
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