Abstract : Millions of women every year have an unwanted pregnancy, which ends through an unsafe abortion. This document presents global and regional estimates of incidence of and mortality due to unsafe abortion. The tabulations consist of data collected from a variety of sources, including health service reporting and surveys. Global and regional estimates are derived from data in the country listings. A description of materials and methods is included. Unsafe abortion is characterized by the lack or inadequacy of skills of the provider, hazardous techniques, and unsanitary facilities. It is one of the great neglected problems of health care in developing countries and a serious concern to women during their reproductive lives. Prevention of unwanted pregnancies must be the highest priority, and every attempt must be made to eliminate the need for abortion. Where contraception is unavailable or inaccessible, many women will seek to terminate unwanted pregnancies despite restrictive laws and lack of inadequate services. Women who resort to unauthorized providers put their health and lives at risk. It is estimated that every year almost 20 million unsafe abortions take place in developing countries, where the risk of death is estimated at 1 out of every 260 procedures
Web site : http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/publications/MSM_97_16/MSM_97_16_table_of_contents_en.html