Unintended pregnancies resulting in abortions, unwanted births and miscarriages are a key indicator of the need for expanding access to contraception services and information that support effective use. We must make pregnancy an aspiration not an inevitability, by empowering women and girls to make affirmative decisions about sexual activity and motherhood. Family planning and safe abortion are crucial tools in preventing maternal death.

The key priority for India is to address the unmet need for family planning/contraceptives and improve access to safe abortion services including medical methods. Expanding the reach and range of reversible contraceptives can prevent early pregnancy and pregnancies at short intervals jeopardizing maternal and newborn health. This note includes key insights from India to supplement the newly launched UNFPA’s State of World Population Report 2022: SEEING THE UNSEEN: The Case for Action In The Neglected Crisis Of Unintended Pregnancy