Authorities in China have highlighted inadequate knowledge of contraception and poor sex education as major factors in the high number of abortions there. There are 13 million abortions each year, compared to 20 million births, according to newly published research. Researchers believe the real figure could be even higher because there are many abortions at unregistered clinics. Other countries have higher rates. They include Russia – which some years has more terminations than births. ‘More sex education’ The abortion figures were published in the China Daily newspaper. Other Chinese media outlets have published similar figures, although it was not immediately clear when the research was carried out. China imposed strict family planning rules in the 1970s in an attempt to limit the growth of its population. Many pregnant women who have had their full quota of children have abortions to prevent unwanted births. But young single women are most likely to have abortions in a country where there are 20 million births each year, the research found. In its front-page story, China Daily said the high number of abortions was ’cause for concern’, adding that many women who have abortions […]