[Family planning needs help to reduce the number of abortions]. / La planificacion familiar necesita ayuda para reducir el numero de abortos.

PIP: M. Peter McPherson, the administrator of the US Agency for International Development, believes that international assistance for family planning programs is necessary to reduce the number of abortions in the world. When couples desire fewer children and family planning services are unavailable, they frequently have recourse to abortion even when the practice is illegal. Data from some countries of Asia and Latin America indicate that 1 of every 3 women have had abortions, many of which would have been avoided if family planning services had been available. An estimated 360,000 abortions have been avoided in Mexico since the governmental family planning program began in 1972. The number of Chilean women seeking treatment for complications of illegal abortion has declined substantially since modern family planning methods became available in 1965. The health and survival of mothers and children is another important reason for supporting family planning. Studies in 26 countries confirm that children born within 2 years of the previous birth have a risk of death twice that of children born 2 or 3 years after the last birth. Mortality among children under 4 would be reduced by 21% if all births were spaced at least 2 years apart. At least 200,000 maternal deaths each year are attributable to too many pregnancies or to pregnancy at too young or old an age. The desire of many Third World families to have fewer children is not merely a product of western speculation, but is confirmed in surveys which demonstrate that couples are unable to limit or space their children because of lack of family planning services. Even though careful study has not yet clarified the exact relationship between population and economic growth, the impact of population growth on the economy is unquestionable. It is rarely argued that rapid population growth contributes to economic development. Family planning would contribute to economic growth by reducing population pressure.^ieng