Contraceptive use saves the lives of more than a quarter of million women each year, either
from death in childbirth or unsafe abortions, according to estimates published on Tuesday.
In 2008, 355,000 women died while giving birth or from illegal or dangerous abortions, a study
published by The Lancet.
But more than 250,000 deaths were averted that year because contraception reduced unwanted
pregnancies.
“If all women in developing countries who want to avoid pregnancy use an effective contraceptive
method, the number of maternal deaths would fall by a further 30 percent” .
“Increasing contraceptive use in developing countries has cut the number of maternal deaths by
40 percent over the past 20 years.”
“In developing countries, the risk of prematurity and low birthweight doubles when conception occurs
within six months of a previous birth, and children born within two years of an elder sibling are 60-percent
more likely to die in infancy than are those born more than two years after their sibling.”
According to UN estimates:
The world’s population reached seven billion last year and is likely to climb to around 9.3 billion by 2050,
and more than 10 billion by 2100. The largest gain will be in the poorest countries.
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