Among some of the most pressing public health issues are high maternal morbidity and mortality rates due to abortion.
Some countries, within the Eastern Europe and Eurasia region in particular, have unusually high abortion rates, often due to high unmet need for modern contraception, which is related to the limited availability of contraceptive commodities.
In these settings, family planning (FP) services may be relatively inaccessible, especially for the poor, causing women to turn to other means to space and limit their births.
The challenge in this environment is increasing political commitment to FP when countries are experiencing declines in population growth.
Policy-makers may be more concerned with how to maintain or increase current fertility rates. However, in cases where unmet need for modern contraceptives is high, demonstrating the link between FP and maternal health is a key aspect to gaining a more favorable policy environment for FP.
Modern contraception has shown to play a significant role in reducing unintended pregnancies and improving birth spacing, which are associated with declining maternal and infant mortality rates. FP/reproductive health (RH) services and commodities must be readily available for women who want to prevent unintended pregnancy.
Expanding women’s choice of FP is necessary to improving maternal health and child health.
