New from the Guttmacher Institute

Improving Contraceptive Services in Uganda Would Save Lives and Money

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:42:00 EST

Seven in 10 Ugandan women who want to avoid pregnancy either do not practice contraception or rely on methods with high failure rates. Women who use no method at all account for 88% of Uganda's more than one million unintended pregnancies, while women using modern contraceptives account for only 5%. "Benefits of Meeting the Contraceptive Needs of Ugandan Women," a new report from the Guttmacher Institute and the Economic Policy Research Centre, documents the many health, social and financial benefits of investing in contraceptive services.

Misuse of Guttmacher Statistic on Insurance Coverage of Abortion

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:11:00 EST

Among the many arguments being made in the debate over health care reform is the claim that because very few women use private insurance coverage to pay for abortion services, loss of this coverage would have minimal impact. Those making this argument cite a Guttmacher Institute statistic showing that 13% of all abortions in 2001 were directly billed to private insurance companies. However, that statistic alone misrepresents the situation on three counts

Guttmacher Institute Monthly State Policy Update

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 09:00:00 EST

This update provides information on legislation, as well as relevant executive branch actions and judicial decisions in states across the country

Clandestine and Unsafe Abortions are Common in Pakistan and Threaten Women’s Health and Lives

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

Induced abortion is legal under very limited circumstances in Pakistan, yet it is commonly performed, according to a new research summary released today in Karachi by the National Committee for Maternal and Neonatal Health and the Guttmacher Institute. Researchers estimate that 890,000 abortions were performed in Pakistan in 2002, a rate of 29 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age (15–49)annually. Because access to abortion is highly restricted, the majority of these procedures take place under clandestine—and often unsafe—conditions.

An Overview of Abortion in the United States

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 19:11:00 EST

Slide presentation showing the current status of abortion in the U.S.

Facts on Induced Abortion Worldwide

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:53:00 EST

Abortion: Worldwide Levels and Trends

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:51:00 EST

Abortion and Unintended Pregnancy Decline Worldwide as Contraceptive Use Increases

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:42:00 EST

Increases in global contraceptive use have contributed to a decrease in the number of unintended pregnancies and, in turn, a decline in the number of abortions, which fell from an estimated 45.5 million procedures in 1995 to 41.6 million in 2003. While both the developed and the developing world experienced these positive trends, developed regions saw the greatest progress. Within the developing world, improvement varied widely, with Africa lagging behind other regions.