Hesperian Health Guides
Why are Abortions Needed?
Deciding to have an abortion can be hard. Some religions teach that abortion is wrong and in many countries abortion is not legal or safe. But there are many reasons people need or want abortions. For example:
- Their birth control failed.
- They already have all the children they can care for.
- Pregnancy is a danger to their health or life.
- They have no partner to help support the child.
- They want to finish school.
- They do not want to have children now or perhaps ever.
- They got pregnant after being forced to have sex.
- The child will be born dead or with medical conditions that cause death or severe disability soon after birth.
Unintended pregnancy is more likely when. . .
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I didn’t think you could get pregnant the first time.
...people do not know how pregnancy happens.
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You cannot use family planning until you are 18 years old and married.
. . . health workers think some people are too young to get family planning.
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No!
. . . people are forced to have sex.
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. . . family planning is not available, is not used correctly, or fails.
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| Emergency Contraception Methods |
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If you had unprotected sex within the past 5 days, you can avoid pregnancy by acting quickly. See Emergency Family Planning Methods.
This page was updated:13 Nov 2023