Unwanted pregnancy and family planning needs in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Although significant progress has been made in promoting family planning and contraception in Latin America and the Caribbean the regions high number of unwanted pregnancies reveals that the need for family planning remains great. Millions of women in Latin America and the Caribbean suffer the consequences of unintended pregnancies each year which often leads to tragic consequences. Despite being physically emotionally or financially unprepared many women proceed with childbearing. It is estimated that 1/3 or more of all births in the region are undesired or unintended. Other women opt for abortion which is illegal just about everywhere in the region. The Pan American World Health Organization lists abortion as the leading cause of pregnancy-related death. Lack of sanitary conditions during delivery also causes the death of many women. These and other factors comprise the list of indicators of unmet need for family planning: 1) the high rate of unwanted pregnancy; 2) the alarmingly high number of illegal abortions--estimated at 10-12 million each year; 3) the high rate of maternal death; 4) the high prevalence of adolescent pregnancy (in Mexico for example 42% of all women give birth during teens); 5) the high number of unwanted children evident in the 41 million street children in Latin America and the Caribbean; 6) the high rate of contraceptive failure due to lack of knowledge and use; 7) the large number of women desiring permanent contraception (voluntary sterilization) who lack access to such services; and 8) the large number os sexually active women not using contraception who say that they do not want to become pregnant. All these factors conclusively attest to the need for reliable and accessible family planning services.