DMB
20 Nov 2009, 10:19 AM
Investing in contraceptive services is one of the most cost-effective and useful forms of aid to developing countries, but it is still the Cinderella of ais activities. Here's news of a report on Uganda:
http://www.guttmacher.org/media/nr/2009/11/16/index.html
Seven in 10 Ugandan women who want to avoid a pregnancy either do not practice contraception or rely on ineffective traditional methods with high failure rates. Women who use no method at all account for 88% of the country's unintended pregnancies—more than one million each year—while women using modern contraceptives account for only 5%.
The new report estimates that meeting just half of Ugandan women's unmet need for modern contraceptives—that is, providing modern methods to just 50% of the women who wish to avoid a pregnancy but currently use no method or use an ineffective method—would yield dramatic health benefits. There would be 519,000 fewer unintended pregnancies each year (a 42% decline from current levels), which would lead to 152,000 fewer induced abortions (a 42% decline) and 1,600 fewer maternal deaths from unsafe abortions and various obstetric emergencies (a 21% drop).
Meeting 100% of Ugandan women's unmet need for modern contraceptives would have an even more dramatic impact: It would reduce unintended pregnancies, including induced abortions, by roughly 85% over current levels, and maternal deaths would drop by about 40% from current levels.
Christians in The USA and other parts of the rich world give huge amounts of money towards proselytism in Uganda and other parts of Africa. If only some of that money could be channelled into the work of helping women to have the number of children they really want (as well as other aspects of reproductive health)...
http://www.guttmacher.org/media/nr/2009/11/16/index.html
Seven in 10 Ugandan women who want to avoid a pregnancy either do not practice contraception or rely on ineffective traditional methods with high failure rates. Women who use no method at all account for 88% of the country's unintended pregnancies—more than one million each year—while women using modern contraceptives account for only 5%.
The new report estimates that meeting just half of Ugandan women's unmet need for modern contraceptives—that is, providing modern methods to just 50% of the women who wish to avoid a pregnancy but currently use no method or use an ineffective method—would yield dramatic health benefits. There would be 519,000 fewer unintended pregnancies each year (a 42% decline from current levels), which would lead to 152,000 fewer induced abortions (a 42% decline) and 1,600 fewer maternal deaths from unsafe abortions and various obstetric emergencies (a 21% drop).
Meeting 100% of Ugandan women's unmet need for modern contraceptives would have an even more dramatic impact: It would reduce unintended pregnancies, including induced abortions, by roughly 85% over current levels, and maternal deaths would drop by about 40% from current levels.
Christians in The USA and other parts of the rich world give huge amounts of money towards proselytism in Uganda and other parts of Africa. If only some of that money could be channelled into the work of helping women to have the number of children they really want (as well as other aspects of reproductive health)...