Women need access to a broad range of reproductive health services in addition to birth control. For example, all women, regardless of their age or whether they are sexually active, need routine gynecologic care, and adolescents need education about reproduction, sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases.

A woman who succeeds in having the number of children she wants needs contraceptive protection for approximately 21 years if she wants two children, 16 years if she wants four children and 12 years if she wants six children.

Women need a broad range of reproductive health services in addition to birth control. Reducing discrimination against girls and women, improving health services, bettering educational opportunities for girls and providing greater equity in the labour force will also be necessary if women are to gain control over their childbearing.

The family planning services necessary in developing countries to help women reach their childbearing goals will likely cost $10 billion in the year 2000. Increased international support will be needed to cover these costs.

Women who become pregnant accidentally and feel they are not in a position to raise a child often go to great lengths to obtain an abortion. Some 21 million of the 52 million abortions performed annually occur in countries where abortion is illegal. Clandestine abortions performed under unsafe conditions frequently result in serious complications. Indeed, unsafe abortions are a leading cause of maternal deaths around the world: The World Health Organization estimates that 13% of pregnancy-related deaths worldwide result from abortion complications. To stem the loss of life in countries where abortion is illegal, women need humane and accessible treatment for abortion complications.

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