KEY POINTS:
Millions of women have no access to family planning and undergo unsafe abortions each year because sexual and reproductive health is taboo in many countries, researchers said.
Although there are cheap, effective methods to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancies and to help women give birth safely, they are not available in poor countries because of the increasing influence of conservative political and religious forces.
"Sexual and reproductive health issues have fallen off the international health agenda and are taboo for many governments and public health institutions," said Dr Richard Horton, editor of The Lancet. "That puts millions of women's lives at peril."
Each year, 80 million women have an unwanted pregnancy, 19 million have an unsafe abortion and 70,000 die because of complications.
More than 340 million new cases of STIs are diagnosed and 120 million couples do not have access to family planning methods.
"In 18 of the poorest countries in Africa, only one in 10 women or less is using contraception," said Anna Glasier of the University of Edinburgh, who collaborated with an international team of scientists to highlight the problems.
Religious, political and cultural beliefs have hampered progress on sexual and reproductive rights and services in many countries, the researchers say.
- REUTERS
