A British minister has called on the Church to permit artificial contraception after a meeting with senior Vatican officials last week.
Penny Mordaunt, the International Development Secretary, said 800 girls and women lose their lives every day due to pregnancy and childbirth complications, and claimed that wider access to contraception would help alleviate the problem.
Faith leaders should help change "deeply held beliefs and attitudes" in order to allow women greater access to "reproductive healthcare", she said.
