For two decades, the Guttmacher Institute’s Adding It Up research project has produced estimates on the need for, impact of and costs associated with providing sexual and reproductive health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Through its component studies and resources, this initiative illustrates the investment needed to ensure these services are available to all women of reproductive age (15–49)—specifically including adolescents—and their newborns in LMICs. Adding It Up’s rigorous evidence base shows that investing in sexual and reproductive health saves lives, reduces costs and improves health.
Latest Adding It Up Evidence
The latest Adding It Up study for 128 LMICs includes a global report with estimates for 2024, accompanied by fact sheets that summarize regional analyses.
A major update in the 2024 Adding It Up study is how “unmet need” for contraception is defined. This new approach considers not only whether a woman is currently using modern contraception, but also whether she expresses interest in using it in the future. This shift creates a more person-centered approach to measuring contraceptive need, called “unmet demand.” Our policy analysis explains why we made this change and how to use the new indicator of unmet demand.
Adding It Up Data Tools
Adding It Up data are directly accessible through two data tools:
- The Family Planning Investment Impact Calculator helps advocates, national governments and funders make the case for greater investment in contraceptive services. The calculator uses Adding It Up data to estimate the magnitude of health benefits that would stem from any given level of investment in family planning at the country or regional level. It provides estimates of impacts on the number of modern contraceptive users served; unintended pregnancies, unplanned births and abortions averted; women’s and girls’ lives saved; and cost savings achieved at the health system level.
- Individual country profiles include model-based estimates on unintended pregnancy and abortion. Profiles provide a snapshot of contraceptive use and maternal and newborn health access, the health impacts of fully meeting the reproductive and maternal health needs of all women of reproductive age, and the investment required to maintain and scale-up sexual and reproductive health care.
