NPR

Nearly Half of All Abortions Unsafe In Developing Countries

Gilda Sedgh, the author of a new study on global abortion, explains the difference between safe and unsafe abortions and what women in low-income countries will need to access safe procedures.
In India, a traditional midwife attempts to induce abortion by massaging herbs and oil on a woman's belly.

Of the 56 million annual abortions performed around the world, nearly half, or 25 million, posed some threat to the health or life of the woman. The vast majority of unsafe abortions – 97 percent — were performed in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Andabout half of those abortions in poor countries are unsafe, compared with just 12.5 percent inin last week's issue of , the British medical journal.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min readWorld
Housing Costs Keep Inflation Stubborn; New Report On Maui Wildfires Released
Inflation is proving stubborn this year, and the cost of rent may be to blame. Hawaii's attorney general has released the first report into last year's Maui fires.
NPR3 min read
Dickey Betts, Founding Member Of The Allman Brothers Band, Dies At 80
The influential guitarist, songwriter and singer was best known for the song "Ramblin' Man." Betts's blues, rock and country-influenced guitar style helped define Southern rock in the 1960s and '70s.
NPR4 min read
Wildfire Smoke Contributes To Thousands Of Deaths Each Year In The U.S.
Two new studies show the unseen toll smoke is taking on people across the country. Climate change is likely to make the problem even bigger.

Related Books & Audiobooks