Increased use of contraceptives has reduced the rate of abortion; however 70,000 women are killed every year by unsafe abortions. In addition to this many others are harmed seriously as per a global report.

Many countries have relaxed the restrictions on abortions but despite this the number of abortions fell from 45.5 million in 1995 to 41.6 million in 2003. This was released in a report by the U. S.- based Guttmacher Institute.

The study discovered a disturbingly high number – almost 20 million- of unsafe abortions, most of which are in poorer countries and often carried out by women themselves by using inappropriate drugs, or herbal potions, or by untrained traditional healers.

Sharon Camp, president of the Guttmacher Institute, a think-tank which studies sexual and reproductive health said, "It is significant and tragic that while the overall rate of abortion is on the decline, unsafe abortion has not declined".

Researchers said that women who live in nations where abortion is highly restricted are about 40 percent.

They also said that it is completely unrealistic to prevent the need for abortion but said eliminating unsafe abortion by improved access to contraception and increasing pressure to lift abortion restrictions was a worthwhile goal which seems achievable.