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Zika warnings lead to significant increase in demand for abortions in Latin America

Zika warnings lead to significant increase in demand for abortions in Latin America

Health warnings about complications related to Zika virus significantly increased demand for abortions in Latin American countries, according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. However, in many of these countries, abortion is either illegal or highly restricted, leaving pregnant women with few options and potentially driving women to use […]

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Abortion rates at all-time low in developed countries but remain unchanged in developing countries

Abortion rates at all-time low in developed countries but remain unchanged in developing countries

Abortion rates have declined significantly over the last 25 years in developed countries and are at a historic low. But in developing countries, where many abortions are unsafe, rates have remained level, highlighting the urgent need for better access to modern contraception (eg, hormonal pill, implants, IUDs) to reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions. The new […]

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‘Informed consent’ states often give women considering abortions inaccurate information

‘Informed consent’ states often give women considering abortions inaccurate information

Women considering abortions are getting medically inaccurate information nearly a third of the time in states that require doctors to provide informed consent materials to their patients, according to a Rutgers study. The study, “Informed or Misinformed Consent? Abortion Policy in the United States,” analyzed statements about embryological and fetal development from information booklets produced […]

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New project to help reduce unsafe abortion death rates in disaster zones

New project to help reduce unsafe abortion death rates in disaster zones

New research led by Dr Nibedita S Ray-Bennett at the University of Leicester will look into the sexual and reproductive health issues in disaster-prone areas during times of humanitarian crisis. The project, supported by the International Planned Parenthood Federation’s (IPPF) Innovation Programme, will explore the opportunities and challenges around reproductive health during disasters and emergencies […]

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Advances in fetal medicine outstrip abortion law reform, Australia

Advances in fetal medicine outstrip abortion law reform, Australia

Developments in the detection of fetal abnormalities have outstripped Australia’s patchworked abortion laws, creating barriers to access for women, according to the authors of an editorial published online by the Medical Journal of Australia. “Medicare-funded diagnosis of fetal abnormality is now routinely offered to all pregnant Australian women – with the implication that a woman […]

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Preventive care drops when government cuts close women’s health clinics, research says

Preventive care drops when government cuts close women’s health clinics, research says

When women’s health clinics close because of government funding cuts aimed at abortion providers, fewer women seek lifesaving preventive care that can identify health threats such as cancer, research from the University of Kansas shows. David Slusky, assistant professor of economics at KU, and Yao Lu of the Analysis Group in Boston found that when […]