Study Examines Women’s Reproductive Health Risk Worldwide
A study released today by Population Action International (PAI) reported women in America face greater reproductive health risks than women in Singapore, Australia and much of Europe, while women in Africa and Afghanistan have the highest risk of reproductive health problems. The report surveyed 133 countries—91 developing countries and 42 developed countries, representing 95 percent of the world’s population—and determined countries’ risk index by examining 10 factors, which included the number of births to teenagers and women, contraceptive use, prevalence of HIV and AIDS, access to prenatal and childbirth care, birth-mother mortality rate and the countries’ abortion policies.
The study showed that women in developing countries die at a rate 33 times higher than women in Europe, the US and other rich nations. The study also reported 150 million women want to prevent or delay pregnancy, but have no access to birth control. The United States ranked 15th in the study, just above the Czech Republic and Lithuania, two countries with far fewer resources. The study attributed the low rank to the enormous number of teenage mothers in the US—more than any other industrialized country. The study suggested the high numbers of young mothers in the US reflected the lack of reproductive health information available to young women and girls. PAI urged the United Nations to honor its 1994 commitment of $17 billion annually to improve worldwide reproductive health services.
Media Resources: Reuters Health Report – March 7, 2001; Washington Post – March 8, 2001
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