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women wearing saris

The Issue

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Statistics Around the World:

  • The total global estimate of abortions was approximately 56 million per year between the years of 2010 and 2014.
  • [i] Women in developing regions are more likely to have abortions performed in unsafe conditions; although nearly half of abortions worldwide are unsafe, 98% of these unsafe abortions take place in developing regions. It is estimated that in 2014, 8-18% of maternal deaths worldwide were due to unsafe abortion.
  • [ii] Around the world, there are 220 maternal deaths per 100,000 unsafe abortions.
  • [iii] In contrast to this statistic, if women receive legal “safe” abortions (such as in the United States) there are only 0.6 deaths per 100,000 women; [iv] thus, there exists the mission of GEMMA and the importance of advocacy for promoting women’s right and access to safe abortion.
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Examples of Unsafe Abortion Methods Used [6]:

  • Drinking turpentine, bleach or tea made with livestock manure
  • Inserting herbal preparations into the vagina or cervix
  • Placing foreign bodies, such as a stick, coat hanger or chicken bone, into the uterus
  • Jumping from the top of stairs or a roof

Citations:

  • [i] Sedgh, Gilda et al. (2016). “Abortion incidence between 1990 and 2014: global, regional, and subregional levels and trends.” The Lancet, Volume 388, Issue 10041, 258 – 267.
  • [ii] Sedgh, Gilda et al. (2016). “Abortion incidence between 1990 and 2014: global, regional, and subregional levels and trends.” The Lancet, Volume 388, Issue 10041, 258 – 267.
  • [iii] Sedgh, Gilda et al. (2012). “Induced abortion: incidence and trends worldwide from 1995 to 2008.” The Lancet, Volume 379, Issue 9816, 625 – 632.
  • [iv] Sedgh, Gilda et al. (2012). “Induced abortion: incidence and trends worldwide from 1995 to 2008.” The Lancet, Volume 379, Issue 9816, 625 – 632.