Experts connect contraceptives to unsafe abortions in Nigeria
Medical experts believe many women will keep dying in Nigeria from unsafe abortions except the use of modern family planning methods and contraceptives increases among women of reproductive age. This and improved provision of safe abortion and post-abortion care services have been identified to reduce the incidence of women dying from unsafe abortions in different countries around the world.
Nigeria has low uptake of modern family planning and contraceptives, and because of this, a substantial number of women have unintended pregnancies. About 1 in 20 Nigerian women who are of reproductive age have unintended pregnancies from not using contraceptives.
Many of these unintended pregnancies are resolved through clandestine abortion, even though a woman cannot have an abortion except it is to save her life in Nigeria.
In spite of its illegality, induced abortions are quite common as about 1 out of 30 women in Nigeria have induced abortions according to 2012 estimates. Most of these abortions take place under unsafe conditions. Unsafe abortions often lead to maternal mortality and in Nigeria, they are a major reason for the country’s high maternal mortality rate–1,100 deaths per 100,000 live births – which is one the world’s highest.
Experts concluded that Nigerian government should improve access to modern contraceptive services and make them affordable for women in Nigeria if unintended pregnancies, and subsequently, induced abortion rate, will be reduced in Nigeria.
