Country Profile

Malawi

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  • Unmet needs for services

  • Meeting the needs for services

  • Unintended pregnancy and abortion

Unintended pregnancy and abortion

The graphics below are based on estimates from an ongoing global study of unintended pregnancy and abortion. These estimates highlight the importance of investments in comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, including contraceptive and abortion care.

Unintended pregnancy and abortion rates

In Malawi, the unintended pregnancy rate increased 7% between 1990–1994 and 2000–2004 and decreased 13% by 2015–2019. During the same period, the abortion rate increased 61%. The share of unintended pregnancies ending in abortion rose from 16% to 27%.
1990–19941995–19992000–20042005–20092010–20142015–20190255075100125150ValueAverage annual no. per 1,000 women aged 15–49, Malawi12419131251322512724124291153111912011711010399293534323435Unintended PregnancyAbortionSubregional average[show]Subregional averageEast Africa

Pregnancy outcomes

In Malawi in 2015–2019, there were a total of 866,000 pregnancies annually. Of these, 491,000 pregnancies were unintended and 134,000 ended in abortion. Abortion in Malawi is legal only to save the pregnant person's life.
In 2015–2019, MalawiSubregional average: Subregional average: 47%35%Of all ...57% wereOf all unintended...27% endedpregnancies...unintended.pregnancies...in abortion.Subregional average: Subregional average: 47%35%

See regional and subregional data for Africa

Notes: These are model-based estimates, which allow us to assess how certain we are of these trends. For example, there is an 89% probability that the abortion rate increased since 1990–1994 and a 96% probability that the percentage of unintended pregnancies ending in abortion increased over this period. For information on how to interpret and use these country-specific model-based estimates, see our fact sheet, Unintended Pregnancy and Abortion Worldwide: Country-level Estimates Explained.

Subregions used in comparisons follow United Nations Statistics Division groupings.

The related data set, technical resources and associated materials are available in the project's OSF repository.

Source: Bearak J et al., Country-specific estimates of unintended pregnancy and abortion incidence: a global comparative analysis of levels in 2015–2019, BMJ Global Health, 2022, 7(3).

Suggested citation: Guttmacher Institute, Malawi country profile, 2022, https://www.guttmacher.org/regions/africa/malawi?page=3.

  • Unmet needs for services

  • Meeting the needs for services

  • Unintended pregnancy and abortion

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