Study: Meeting Contraception Needs Worldwide Could Cut Maternal Deaths

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

A new study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University has found that worldwide maternal deaths could drop by at least a third if steps were taken to meet the contraception needs of women in developing countries.  From The New York Times:

The study, published on Tuesday in The Lancet, a British science journal, comes ahead of a major family planning conference in London organized by the British government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that is an attempt to refocus attention on the issue. It has faded from the international agenda in recent years, overshadowed by efforts to combat AIDS and other infectious diseases, as well as by ideological battles.

The proportion of international population assistance funds that went to family planning fell to just 6 percent in 2008, down from 55 percent in 1995, while spending on H.I.V./AIDS represented 74 percent of the total in 2008, up from just 9 percent in 1995, according to Rachel Nugent, a professor of global health at the University of Washington, who cited figures from the United Nations Population Fund.

But population growth has continued to surge, with the United Nations estimating last year that the world’s population, long expected to stabilize, will instead keep growing. Population experts warn that developing countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, where fertility continues to be high and shortages of food and water are worsening, will face deteriorating conditions if family sizes do not shrink.

Image: Young girl, via Shutterstock.

UN Marks Birth of 7 Billionth Baby Amid Population Concerns

Monday, October 31st, 2011

Around the world, babies born Monday are being noted as symbolically bringing the world human population up to 7 billion people.  The United Nations is marking the event with celebrations and festivities around the world, as part of the U.N.’s 7 Billion Actions initiative.

The program is meant to encourage action and communication around issues of population growth, international understanding, and environmental sustainability.  “A world of seven billion has implications for sustainability, urbanization, access to health services and youth empowerment – however, it also offers a rare call-to-action opportunity to renew global commitment for a healthy and sustainable world,” the U.N. website says.

The Associated Press reports on the demographics of the 7-billion milestone:

The U.N. estimates the world’s population will reach 8 billion by 2025 and 10 billion by 2083. But the numbers could vary widely, depending on everything from life expectancy to access to birth control to infant mortality rates.

(image via: http://people.howstuffworks.com/)