Clandestine and Unsafe Abortion Common in Malawi

Clandestine and Unsafe Abortion Common in Malawi
New Evidence Can Inform Policy Discussions on Reducing Maternal Deaths

April 4, 2017
News Release

New research estimates 141,000 abortions occurred in Malawi in 2015—at an annual rate of 38 abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age—all of which indicates that abortion is common in the country. The majority of these procedures were performed under clandestine and unsafe conditions and often resulted in complications. The research, which was conducted by the U.S.-based Guttmacher Institute and the Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Malawi College of Medicine, comes as a national debate is underway in Malawi on whether to liberalize the country’s abortion law by expanding the criteria under which an abortion can be legally obtained. Under the current law in Malawi, abortion is only permitted when it is necessary to save the life of the woman.

Continued at source: Guttmacher Institute: https://www.guttmacher.org/news-release/2017/clandestine-and-unsafe-abortion-common-malawi