The Guttmacher Institute published a Fact Sheet on Adolescents’ Need for and Use of Abortion Services In Developing Countries.
In most developing countries, stigma against sexual activity among unmarried adolescents is pervasive, unmet need for contraception among women in their teenage years is high, and abortion is highly legally restricted, constraining access to safe services for adolescents and all women.
Accurate and complete information about sex and provision of contraceptive methods are first-line defenses against unintended pregnancy, but many adolescents in developing countries lack access to these essential services.
In the event of an unintended pregnancy, access to safe abortion services is critical to prevent potentially fatal injury and infection from unsafe abortion. Where safe abortion is unavailable, post-abortion care (PAC) services are necessary to treat the complications that result from unsafe procedures, the most severe of which can result in infertility and death.
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