AN unborn baby popped out of a pregnant woman's stomach into a pit toilet as she was relieving herself at the weekend.

The police had to destroy the toilet to retrieve the newly-born, who is recovering in hospital with her 20-year-old mother.

The incident happened on Saturday at Riverplats outside Makhado in Limpopo.

The incident has prompted the health and social development to urge young pregnant women to frequently go for consultations at clinics or hospitals to prevent possible mishaps.

Departmental spokesperson Joe Maila said the baby and the mother were recovering well.

Meanwhile, Oz Healthcare Communications says the level of unplanned pregnancies was a global concern.

According to statistics released by the organisation this week in line with World Contraception Day, to be celebrated next Monday, a third of the 205million pregnancies that occur each year globally were unplanned.

The statistics also reveal that an increasing number of young people aged between of 15 and 24 years were found to have had unprotected sex with a new partner.

The stats further reveal that 45percent of sexually active young people surveyed have had unprotected sex with a new partner, a considerable 25percent increase from the 2009 World Contraception Day.

"Particularly for young teenagers, pregnancy not only carries considerable risks for their health and that of their offspring, but it is also a factor of social, cultural and economic failure," Oz Healthcare Communications spokesperson Shakira Abba said yesterday.