I'm really disturbed and concerned, said Ebanks, who will now have to seek private treatment at a cost that, she said, could reach 350,000 Jamaican dollars (about 1,600).
Over-the-counter abortion medication is not a reality currently. Grossman is not aware of any pending applications at the Food and Drug Administration for medication abortion to be sold over-the-counter.
The teenage birth rate in the US fell by 7% in 2025, reflecting a significant decline in fertility rates among those aged 15 to 19, which has decreased by 70% over the last two decades.
Since the first IVF baby was born in 1978, technological advancement of reproductive medicine has enabled millions to have children, marking a significant milestone in medical history.
Women are responsible for collecting water in more than 70% of rural households that do not have access to mains water across the developing world. Women and girls collectively spend 250m hours a day collecting water globally. The climate crisis is exacerbating the problem, according to a new report from the UN.
Since 1985, every time the U.S. elects a Republican president, global maternal mortality increases by about 10.5%, or about 44.7 additional deaths per 100,000 live births. This erodes roughly one-fifth of the average worldwide decline in maternal mortality achieved since 1985.
I can't even count the number of thoughts I have every single day, just bouncing around in my head like a ping pong ball. I think every mom feels the same way, which is why when you ask a mom what's on her mind, her response could range from something like "Oh, just thinking about my kid's new soccer team" to "The fall of democracy and the state of the world."
Amid the Valentine's Day celebrations in the Philippines, declining teen pregnancies among older girls contrast sharply with rising cases among those under 15. Images of romance and young love fill social media feeds, restaurants, and shopping malls across the Philippines. Some local groups also use the season to distribute condoms and awareness flyers. However, behind the festivities lies a more complicated reality as national data show a worrying pattern behind the romantic veneer.
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
