Abortion trend suggests need for family planning

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines  – Officials of the Commission on Population reported, during the forum on RH bill, that the rising trend in abortion showed the need for family planning.

Commission on Population regional director Bruce Ragas said about 20 percent of women, who have no access to family planning, carries the “unwanted” and “mistimed” pregnancies.

He said 29 percent of them has “unmet” pregnancy, only 36 percent are considered “wanted” pregnancy, and seven percent tend to have “induced abortion.”

Ragas also said the trend in mortality per 1,000 live births is increasing from 1993 with only 23.6 percent, to 28 percent in 2003 and 31 percent in 2008. The highest recorded mortality was in 1990 with 55 percent.

This may be resulted in some 473,000 abortions every year while 50 percent of women who have no access to family planning stand to face the unwanted pregnancy, he said. (FREEMAN)