In the richer parts of the world, contraception is often seen as a vital means of maintaining control over one’s life, but the prospect of an unwanted pregnancy isn’t, for most people and for the most part, a life-and-death issue. That’s not true for women in less developed parts of the world, though; there, as the authors of a new study in Human Reproduction point out, citing World Health Organization research, “after becoming pregnant without intention, many of these women are presented with a stark set of scenarios: risk of death, disability and lower educational and employment potential.” Their children also face heightened risks of dying at a very young age.
Understanding the Worldwide Contraception Crisis
