General Article Preventing unsafe abortion

Topic Selected: Abortion Book Volume: 367
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KEY FACTS

  • Between 2010–2014, on average, 56 million induced (safe and unsafe) abortions occurred worldwide each year.
  • There were 35 induced abortions per 1,000 women aged between 15–44 years.
  • 25% of all pregnancies ended in an induced abortion.
  • The rate of abortions was higher in developing regions than in developed regions.
  • Around 25 million unsafe abortions were estimated to have taken place worldwide each year, almost all in developing countries (1).
  • Among these, 8 million were carried out in the least- safe or dangerous conditions.
  • Over half of all estimated unsafe abortions globally were in Asia.
  • 3 out of 4 abortions that occurred in Africa and Latin America were unsafe.
  • The risk of dying from an unsafe abortion was the highest in Africa.
  • Each year between 4.7%–13.2% of maternal deaths can be attributed to unsafe abortion (2).
  • Around 7 million women are admitted to hospitals every year in developing countries, as a result of unsafe abortion (3).
  • The annual cost of treating maj...

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