LAHORE: A staggering 3.8 million unsafe abortions have been taking place in Pakistan annually, the official data gathered from hospitals reveals.
“The unreported cases of unsafe abortions would take the figures even higher, pointing towards a disparaging state of women’s reproductive health in the country, says a damning report by Population Council based on Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2017–18, Pakistan Maternal Mortality Survey (PMMS) 2019, Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019.
This devastating state of women’s healthcare is primarily caused by unmet family planning needs of the people. The report says, “Only 34 percent of married women in Pakistan use FP methods and 17–18 percent have unmet need of contraceptive methods.
Furthermore, it states, only 25 percent of married women use modern FP methods. The uptake of modern FP methods has stagnated. Pakistan’s MMR (maternal mortality ratio) is 186 per 100,000 live births, whereas IMR (infant mortality ratio) is 64 per 1,000 live births leading to 140,000 infant deaths annually.
Dr. Saima Zubair, a senior representative of Chapter of Society of Obstetricians & Gynecologists of Pakistan (SoGP), says that sexual and reproductive health and family planning (SRH&FP) saves lives by preventing high-risk and unintended pregnancies. In Pakistan, the main causes of neonatal deaths in 2015 were prematurity (39.3 percent), birth asphyxia and trauma (20.9 percent) and sepsis (17.2 percent). Meeting unmet FP needs and birth spacing could cut maternal deaths by 30 percent and avert 10 percent of newborn deaths.
Bangladesh scaled up fulfillment of FP needs and successfully achieved a 60 percent drop in maternal deaths. The use of family planning methods helps prevent unintended pregnancies that are too early, too close, or too late in life. Additionally, it reduces unsafe abortions, which is a major cause of maternal deaths in Pakistan.
“The emergency pill, which is available over-the-counter at pharmacies and medical stores at a price of Rs 27, prevents pregnancy with no side-effects,” she informed. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the recommended birth spacing must be, at least, 24 months apart, which reduces neonatal mortality and preterm birth risk by up to 50 percent. Adequate spacing reduces maternal anemia, preterm births, low birth weight, and neonatal mortality. It allows mothers to recover nutritionally and physically before next pregnancy.
The WHO’s Systematic Reviews 2025 and UNICEF’s Country Report indicate that one in 12 women, between the ages of 20 and 24, has given birth by age 18.
The multiple consecutive pregnancies increase maternal exhaustion and raises risk of complication. The family planning methods protect women with chronic illnesses from dangerous pregnancies, and as such avoid high-parity pregnancies, lowering risk of hemorrhage, uterine rupture, and exhaustion.
The FP users are 40 percent less likely to have dangerous or risky pregnancies. It is especially critical for women with heart disease, diabetes, or other chronic conditions. The planned pregnancies lead to early antenatal care, improving early ANC visits from 50 percent to over 80 percent. The families and systems can prepare for safe deliveries through and higher skilled birth attendance. It improves postpartum care. It improves outcomes for both mothers and newborns.
The year 2025 marks 57 years since family planning was declared a basic human right at the United Nations International Conference on Human Rights in 1968. This rights-based approach to family planning ensures the right for individuals to determine freely and responsibly the number and timing of their children with access to quality information and services, free from discrimination and coercion.
It is characterized by treating people equitably, with dignity and respect, and providing high quality care to all. The Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognises contraceptives among top 10 public health achievements of 21st century. The WHO Systematic Reviews, 2025, says family planning helps strengthen health systems and improves efficiency because fewer emergency obstetric cases reduce strain on health facilities. Lowering unintended pregnancies reduces strain on emergency obstetric care units.
The resources, thus, saved can be reinvested into maternal and newborn care because the savings enable reallocation of funds to preventive maternal and newborn health programs. The additional health benefits of family planning include lowering ovarian cancer risk by 36 percent, endometrial cancer by 44 percent, and reproductive cancers by 20 percent with tubal ligation.
The hormonal contraceptives significantly improve menstrual health by reducing heavy bleeding, pain, and cycle irregularities. It supports mental health; some methods reduce depression/anxiety in affected women.
The media has a key role to play in creating awareness, debunking myths, improving knowledge and bringing about a positive behavioral change among the masses to promote use of family planning methods in the country. It must drive policies to ensure affordability and accessibility of family planning methods as well as encourage reforms to improve service delivery.
Published in The News on August 26, 2025.
