Uganda's unmet need for family planning services, currently standing at 41 per cent is contributing to the high cases of unsafe abortion, a new report says.

The report by the US-based Guttmacher Institute titled: Abortion Worldwide: A decade of uneven Progress, was released last week.

Close to 270,000 induced abortions are performed every year in Uganda, with 85,000 of the cases ending in complications and sometimes death.

The report assesses progress over the past decade regarding the legality, safety and accessibility of abortion services worldwide.

It, however, said contraceptive use, which reduces levels of unintended pregnancy, has increased in many parts of the world, particularly Latin America and Asia.

According to Dr Peter Ibembe, the National Programme Manager for Reproductive Health Uganda, increased use of contraceptives can reduce maternal mortality and improve women's health by preventing unwanted and high risk pregnancies, which usually end in clandestine abortions.