Millions of women worldwide endure unwanted pregnancies each year because they are fearful of modern forms of contraception, a report has claimed.
In fact, 40 per cent of women who avoid contraception do so because they worry about the side effects and health implications of methods such as the Pill, coils and condoms.
And almost 20 per cent don't use protection because they vastly underestimated the risk of pregnancy, the World Health Organisation study found.
As a result of such attitudes, there are 15 million unwanted pregnancies worldwide each year.
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Unexpected: World Health Organisation figures show there are 15 million unwanted pregnancies each year
Researchers who analysed figures from 35 low and middle income countries found 15 million out of 16.7 million unwanted pregnancies a year could easily be avoided.
The findings apply to a third of the global population, with many who become unintentionally pregnant facing disease, and poorer work prospects.
The researchers also warned that lack of proper contraception can result in unwanted abortions.
They looked at contraceptive use among 12,874 women aged 15 to 49 who became pregnant unintentionally.
They compared them with 111,301 sexually active women who were neither pregnant nor wanting to be from 35 countries.
The researchers then calculated the number of undesired pregnancies and the proportion that were attributable to not using modern contraception, including the Pill, male and female condoms, the coil, sterilisation and injectable contraceptives.
It was also revealed that traditional methods, including withdrawal, and trying to time sex outside the fertile period of a woman's menstrual cycle, made it 2.7 times more likely a woman would end up with an unwanted pregnancy.
And using no contraception at all made it 14.5 times more likely they would end up pregnant.
It was also discovered that the poorest and least well educated women were the least likely to use modern contraception.
Of the 14,893 who did not use contraception and did not want to get pregnant, the main reason given for non-use was fear of side-effects and health concerns, with 5,559 women (a surprising 37 per cent) saying it put them off.
Another 17.6 per cent were found to underestimate the risk of pregnancy.
And 2.4 per cent said contraception was too expensive, with the same number saying they didn't know where to get contraceptives.
Study author Dr Howard Sobel, from the World Health Organisation's Western Pacific Regional Office, said: 'This study has many implications.
'For instance, "health concerns" was the most common reason given for not using modern contraception, yet these concerns are not backed up by evidence.
Worries: 40 per cent of women who had avoided contraception did so because they feared the side effects and health implications of methods such as the Pill, coils and condoms
'Health workers have an important role to play in reassuring, educating, treating symptoms and finding the methods that best suits an individual.
'However, frontline health workers need the skills to do this, and our experience has been that many have the same misconceptions.
'We could prevent the overwhelming majority of pregnancies if we could debunk the myths and misperceptions about modern methods and use long-term methods of contraception, such as implants and intrauterine devices.'
He added: 'National strategies need to be put in place to address unfounded health concerns, fear of side-effects, opposition and underestimated risk of pregnancy.
'These need to be coupled with good quality contraception that is available and affordable.'
The findings were published in the journal Human Reproduction.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2938161/A-fear-Pill-condoms-coils-leads-15m-unwanted-pregnancies-worldwide-year.html#ixzz3QnOSUN7i
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