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Reproductive Health

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Fast Facts about Reproductive Health

• Reproductive health is recognized as a human right, yet an estimated 200 million women worldwide (roughly 1 in 7 women of reproductive age) want to use safe and effective family planning methods, but are unable to do so because they lack access to information and services or the support of their husbands and communities. Limited access to family planning leads to high rates of unplanned pregnancy, millions of unsafe abortions, and thousands of maternal and infant deaths. (United Nations Population Fund)
• Every minute of every day, a woman dies from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. Almost all of these deaths take place in developing countries, where one in every 65 women risks death in pregnancy or childbirth. This means that ten million women are lost in every generation. (World Health Organization, PSI)
• Use of family planning methods has increased dramatically in more than 110 countries, from less than 10% in 1965 to nearly 60% today, in large part due to U.S. assistance. The U.S. government has dramatically reduced international assistance for family planning and reproductive health in recent years – spending in these areas represents only a fraction of U.S. foreign aid, which itself accounts for just 1% of the U.S. budget. (Population Action International)
• In 2006, increased knowledge and access to a range of contraceptive methods is estimated to have averted 6.7 million unintended pregnancies and 12,900 maternal deaths due to complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. (PSI)

Quick Actions to Promote Reproductive Health

• Inform yourself about reproductive options
  Over the course of his or her lifetime, an average person living in the United States consumes the same amount of resources as 24 people living in Sub-Saharan Africa. For some people, not having children is a good option. Adoption is another possibility.
• Write your representatives
  Drop your elected officials a line to tell them that you support reproductive health for all and international assistance for maternal and child healthcare. Often just a few letters, emails or faxes can help political representatives decide to support or reject an issue because they know that for every person who took the time to write, there are others who have the same opinion. To get the email address and contact information for your elected officials, click here.
• Support the Jubilee Network
  Poverty is directly linked to population growth. It is also linked to the amount of money that a country has to spend on debt and is unable to spend on family planning, health care, and job creation. A coalition of Jubilee organizations around the world are calling for the cancellation of debts owed by developing countries to the IMF and World Bank. Learn more about Jubilee USA Network.
• Write a letter to the editor to your local newspaper
  Writing letters to the editor is a great way to educate people in your community. Cite some of the information from this Fast Facts page and let others know how to get involved! Click here for some tips on writing your letter. Click here for a list of email addresses for many newspapers and magazines.
• Support Americans for UNFPA
  The United Nations Population Fund provides women’s health care and promotes the rights of women around the world. UNFPA is funded from voluntary contributions by member nations. The United States Congress allocates $34 million annually to UNFPA, but since 2002, the U.S. Administration has withheld these funds. Americans for UNFPA is dedicated to restoring the United States’ moral and financial contribution to the organization by generating awareness of UNFPA’s work, fundraising for field programs, and advocating for U.S. policies in support of UNFPA.

Want More Information?

• Facing the Future resources
  • Additional Health Resources
• World Health Organization (WHO)
  WHO is the UN authority on global health matters, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. Its website includes extensive information on reproductive health, as well as WHOSIS, a database of health statistics on many indicators on reproductive health for UN member countries.
• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
  UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect. Its website feature an indepth section on improving reproductive health and a searchable report of country profiles and comparisons for population and reproductive health. 
• International Planned Parenthood Federation
  The IPPF works around the world to make family planning available to all people.
• Planned Parenthood Federation of America
  Planned Parenthood is the largest voluntary reproductive health care organization in the United States.
• Teenwire.com
  Sponsored by Planned Parenthood, this online magazine provides information for teens on a range of topics related to reproductive health, in Spanish as well as English. The site includes an “ask the experts” column.
• Pathfinder International
  Pathfinder International provides women, men, and adolescents throughout the developing world with access to quality family planning and reproductive health information and services. Pathfinder works to halt the spread of HIV/AIDS, provide care to women suffering from the complications of unsafe abortion, and advocate for sound reproductive health policies in the U.S. and abroad.
• PSI
  PSI is a social marketing nonprofit that addresses the health problems of low-income and vulnerable populations in developing countries. Focusing on reproductive health, child survival, HIV, and malaria, PSI promotes healthy behavior and makes contraceptive products available at affordable prices.