One out of three pregnancies in Sri Lanka unintended – UNFPA

In Sri Lanka, about 360,000 women become pregnant every year and one out of three of these pregnancies is unintended, the UNFPA has said presenting its flagship publication “Seeing the Unseen: The case for action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy,” to the Minister of Health, Keheliya Rambulwella.

The UNFPA said yesterday that the unmet need for family planning was 7.3% in 2016, a figure that may have been further augmented due to the pandemic. Public health emergencies, like the COVID-19 pandemic, have given rise to an increase in unintended pregnancies, as access to sexual and reproductive health services are disrupted.

“As such, this year’s UNFPA flagship State of the World Population Report titled “Seeing the Unseen: The case for action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy,” focuses on this issue. In line with the global launch of the Report, UNFPA Representative to Sri Lanka, Kunle Adeniyi officially presented the groundbreaking report to the Minister of Health, Keheliya Rambukwella,” the UNFPA said in a press release.

The UNFPA said that the report shows how easily the most fundamental rights of women and girls are pushed to the backburner in times of crises.

“It calls on decision-makers and health systems to prioritise the prevention of unintended pregnancies by improving the accessibility, acceptability and quality of sexual and reproductive healthcare services and information. As the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA will continue working with the Government of Sri Lanka in enhancing these services which will empower women and girls to make informed decisions about their bodies and lives.,” the UNFPA said.