– The stark reality of safe abortion access in Nigeria

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In Nigeria, accessing safe abortion care is a contentious issue fraught with myths, misconceptions, and misinformation that often obscure the reality of sexual and reproductive healthcare.

According to the World Health Organisation , about 73 million abortions take place worldwide every year. Worldwide, an estimated 22 million abortions continue to be performed unsafely each year, resulting in the death of an estimated 47,000 women and disabilities for an additional five million women with 29% of all pregnancies ending in an induced abortion.

Today’s harsh reality is something that no restrictive abortion legislation can suppress no matter how stringent; in fact, it is what restrictive abortion laws are to be accountable for. The expediency of this situation motivated our approach to examine the necessity of reforming Nigeria’s abortion laws in order to provide access to safe abortion care and correct misinformation, regardless of one’s personal stance on the sanctity of human life.

The legal ambiguity and restrictions surrounding abortion in Nigeria create barriers for women seeking reproductive healthcare. Many women are unaware of their rights under the law or are unable to navigate the complex legal and healthcare systems to access safe abortion services. As a result, they often resort to unsafe practices, putting their health and lives at risk.

According to popular belief, the sanctity of human life and cultural values could be compromised by the legalization of abortion. On the other hand, empirical data indicates that the reverse is actually true: making abortion illegal has led to women dying or being disabled when complications arise from botched abortion procedures. The majority of these abortions are carried out covertly, by inexperienced providers, or by both.

One of the most pervasive myths is that abortion is illegal in Nigeria. While Nigeria as a country does have restrictive laws surrounding abortion, it is permitted in certain circumstances, such as when the life of the woman is at risk or to preserve her physical and mental health. However, the lack of clarity in the law and misinformation perpetuated by societal attitudes often lead women to believe that abortion is completely prohibited, driving them to seek unsafe alternatives.

The most common reasons for seeking an abortion are limited financial resources, the pregnancy coming at the wrong time in life, and not having adequate support. Two thirds of abortion patients already have at least one child, meaning they know the physical, emotional, and financial responsibility that an additional child would bring.

Source: Healthcare Press (healthcarepress.net)

 

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