Some 1.4 million unplanned pregnancies occurred during the coronavirus pandemic due to 12 million women not having access to contraception, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said on Thursday.
These 12 million women live in 115 countries. The pandemic has prevented them from accessing family planning services, said a statement from the UN's agency on sexual and reproductive health.
“Pregnancies don’t stop for pandemics, or any crisis,” said UNFPA Director Natalia Kanem. “We must ensure that women and girls have uninterrupted access to life-saving contraceptives and maternal health medicines.”
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“The devastating impact that Covid-19 has had on the lives of millions of women and girls in the past year underscores just how vital it is to ensure the continuity of reproductive health services,” she added.
According to the report, access to contraceptives was impaired in 2020 because women redirected their financial resources due to travel restrictions.
The data collected by the UN agency shows that difficulties in accessing family planning programmes were mainly observed during the months of April and May.
The Brussels Times
