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. 2013 Feb;87(2):149-53.
doi: 10.1016/j.contraception.2012.06.008. Epub 2012 Aug 9.

Unintended pregnancies in England in 2010: costs to the National Health Service (NHS)

Calypso Montouchet  1 , James Trussell
Affiliations

Unintended pregnancies in England in 2010: costs to the National Health Service (NHS)

Calypso Montouchet et al. Contraception. 2013 Feb.

Abstract

Introduction: Here we estimate the direct medical costs to the National Health Service (NHS) of unintended pregnancies in 2010 and identify populations at risk for unintended pregnancies.

Methods: The number of unintended pregnancies in England in 2010 was estimated based on the number of induced and spontaneous abortions, live births and ectopic pregnancies reported by the NHS and Office for National Statistics. Direct medical costs associated with these were obtained from the NHS Reference Costs.

Results: In 2010, there were an estimated 225,600 unintended pregnancies in England, of which 218,100 were paid for by the NHS. Of these, 155,500 led to induced abortions, 53,900 to births, 7,500 to spontaneous abortions and 1,200 to ectopic pregnancies. These unintended pregnancies cost the NHS £193,200,000 ($299,200,000) in direct medical costs.

Discussion: London, the North West and the West Midlands should be targeted in efforts to reduce unintended pregnancies. More specifically, women between the ages of 20 and 34 years produce the greatest costs.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest

Neither CM nor JT has been paid by a pharmaceutical company or other agency to conduct this research. Though CM is currently working for a pharmaceutical consultancy (Medaxial Group, London), she has not been and is not now involved in any projects whose clients could benefit from the publication of this manuscript. Moreover, all research and writing involved in this article was conducted independently from work carried out at Medaxial Group.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Number and cost of unintended pregnancies in 2010, by region of England.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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