Unintended pregnancy and the role of long-acting reversible contraception

Unintended pregnancies are a worldwide problem, which disproportionately impact developing countries. Studies estimate that 41% of the 208 million pregnancies that occurred in 2008 were unintended. Globally, 86 million pregnancies were unintended, of which 41 million ended in abortion, 33 million unplanned births and 11 million miscarriages. The rates of unintended pregnancy are highest in sub regions in Latin America and Caribbean, South America, Southern Africa and North America. Rates of unintended pregnancies are often the result of limited access to and incorrect use of contraception. While each country has unique factors that contribute to unintended pregnancies, there are geographic and economic trends. It is clear that the impact of unintended pregnancy is greatest in developing countries and it is important to focus on unmet need for contraception in these countries. In developed countries, education and strategies to improve consistent use of contraception need to be stressed. Increasing usage of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) will decrease unintended pregnancies in developed and developing countries.