Access to Reproductive Health Services - Not Just a Women’s Issue

On July 9th 2013, the relationship between the status and rights of women, and the pervasive health issues were discussed on the panel titled "Access to Health: A Better Life for Woman and Girls." Panelists discussed efforts to improve access to health services, clean water and sanitation, as well as commodities in the supply chain to integrate services of health, education and nutrition. 

“The Millennium Development Goals, particularly the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, cannot be achieved if questions of population and reproductive health care are not squarely addressed. And that means stronger efforts to promote women’s rights, and greater investment in education and health, including reproductive health and family planning.” - Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan 

Ninety-nine percent of all maternal deaths occur in developing countries, and 800 women die every day from preventable causes relating to pregnancy or childbirth.  At the same time, over 200 million women profess to wanting better access to effective family planning methods, but lack either money or adequate support from their communities. 

Although maternal health has become a banner issue for a number of high-profile organizations in recent years, the related issue of reproductive health access is often approached with a great deal  of restraint. Much of this is owing to the fact that women’s reproductive rights is seen as a culturally sensitive issue, especially in regions where the use of contraceptives still remains controversial. But the need for access to safe and effective methods of family planning is growing, and is underscored by unchecked population growth in countries mired in poverty and sluggish development. Reproductive choice is a basic human right with profound ramifications for society, and should not be limited to the sphere of women’s rights issues. 

Contraceptive use has increased over the last few decades, and the use of family planning methods approaches almost 60 percent of couples, even in less developed regions. The demand for family planning choices is obvious. But women are often limited in their choice of methods, and may often rely on less effective means which lead to unwanted pregnancies. Of the 190 million women who become pregnant each year, 50 million choose to end their pregnancies in abortion, many of which are performed in dangerous and unsanitary conditions.

When women lack reproductive health rights and access to safe and effective methods of family planning, the results affect not only themselves, but their families, and their communities. Families who do not have the means to support a series of unwanted pregnancies become effectively stuck at subsistence level incomes. Parents are forced to make hard spending choices, often sacrificing valuable educational opportunities for themselves, as well as their children. This has especially damaging consequences for women, who often perform dual roles as breadwinners and caregivers for the next generation. In regions such as East and Southeast Asia, where women enjoyed an increase in access to reproductive choices, a generation of women chose to delay childbirth, plan for smaller families and enter the workforce in droves, which proved to be an important catalyst for economic growth.

Addressing the demand for access to contraception can also help ease the economic burden on developing countries, which face the multi-pronged challenge of stretching a limited amount of resources across an ever-increasing population. Large families with small incomes have a greater need for social services which can supplement their living. Smaller families have more resources to divide amongst family members, and are therefore better able to support themselves without heavily relying on expensive public services.

The income gap between countries where women lack the autonomy to make reproductive choices and countries where they enjoy reproductive choice is astonishing. Developing countries account for 99% of maternal deaths, the majority of which are preventable. More than half of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa, and one third in South Asia. Clearly, unplanned pregnancies and inadequate maternal health services have repercussions on a macro-level. The lack of choice, information or availability of reproductive health services is an issue that must be addressed with temerity, not restraint. All of these facts emphasize the need for intervention on behalf of women, for the benefit of all.