Unintended pregnancy and induced abortion in the Philippines: causes and consequences.

Abstract

Each year in the Philippines hundreds of thousands of women become pregnant without intending to and many women with unintended pregnancies decide to end them by abortion. Because abortion is legal only to save a womans life most procedures are clandestine and many are carried out in unsafe circumstances. Unsafe abortion can endanger womens reproductive health and lead to serious often life-threatening complications. Furthermore unsafe abortions impose a heavy burden on women their families and society by virtue of the serious health consequences that often ensue: These health problems can keep women from work and school and treatment can be costly and consume scarce medical resources at both public and private health institutions. Because abortion is highly stigmatized and largely prohibited information on abortion is difficult to obtain. However new research findings shed light on the causes level and consequences of abortion in the Philippines. (excerpt)