MEXICO CITY, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Tuesday called on the Mexican government to offer sexual education at an earlier age and strengthen health services to reduce deaths linked to pregnancy.

    The UNFPA's Mexico representative Arie Hoekman said in a press conference that 500,000 women die worldwide each year, more than 1,000 in Mexico, from problems linked to pregnancy, and that this figure could be reduced by 75 percent.

    He called on countries like Mexico to "improve health policies", promote a role for men in caring for pregnant women and children and to develop a culture of equality.

    The fund called for better access for the population as a whole to information on family planning, anti-conceptive methods, and labor services provided by trained and qualified staff.

    Hoekman said that the UN respects each nation's decision regarding the legality of abortion, but "the most important thing is for each nation to use integrated policies that avoid this practice and promote better sexual and reproductive health".

    Mauricio Hernandez, the Mexican government's deputy minister for health promotion, said that in Mexico 1,178 women die each year from causes linked to abortion, and that 7 percent of the deaths are related to abortion.

    July 11 is the World Population Day.