New birth control methods urged for developing world women

New contraceptive methods are needed for developing world women, including one in four in sub-Saharan Africa, whose needs for modern birth control are not being met, a study has found. A 52-page report by the New York-based Guttmacher Institute urged new methods to reach 148 million women in three regions where there are 49 million unintended pregnancies every year resulting in 21 million abortions. "Sub-Saharan Africa, south central Asia and southeast Asia are home to 69 percent of women in the developing world who have an unmet need for a modern method," said the study. "Seven in 10 women with unmet need in the three regions cite reasons for nonuse that could be rectified with appropriate methods." The women wanted to avoid falling pregnant but did not use modern protection due to health fears, infrequent sex habits, recent births or breastfeeding and opposition from partners or others. New methods that had less noncontraceptive effects and were easier to use by being compatible with infrequent sex and without the knowledge of a partner could have a large impact, said the report released Wednesday. The other nearly 30 percent did not use birth control as they were either opposed to contraception, unaware of options, had problems with access or believed they were not fertile. "The findings make clear that meeting the need for contraception requires not only increased access and counseling, but the development of new methods that better meet women?s needs," said co-author Jacqueline Darroch. Apart from long-term new developments, current options could be adapted to be made more widely acceptable and easier to use, the institute said, urging more investment. In total, the needs of 215 million or 26 percent of reproductive-age women across the developing world who wanted to avoid pregnancy either did not use modern contraceptives or relied on traditional options. This rose to 38 percent in the three areas and 39 percent of women who did not want to fall pregnant in sub-Saharan Africa. In total, one in four of the latter's total of 195 million women had an unmet need for modern birth control.