Outlook for abortion risks.
Globally, 56 million abortions are induced each year. While this number is rising with population growth, it is decreasing per capita, due largely to the growing popularity and accessibility of long-acting, reversible contraception. The legal status of abortion only affects the safety, not numbers, of abortions performed, and unsafe procedures are a leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide.
Cultural barriers to contraception’s acceptability and distribution will continue to erode, but slowly and unevenly.
Sub-Saharan African countries that are most dependent on US aid could see their maternal health gains stagnate.
Should Argentina legalise abortion, pro-choice groups will increasingly press for congressional debate in other parts of Latin America.
