Nigeria: Expert links unsafe abortion to rising maternal mortality

The organisation also estimates that 1.8 million abortions occur annually in Nigeria, with nearly 60 per cent classified as unsafe because they are performed by unskilled providers, in unhygienic conditions, or using harmful methods.

by Zainab Adewale
December 5, 2025

Reproductive health experts have warned that unsafe abortions continue to drive Nigeria’s high maternal mortality burden due to restrictive laws, stigma, poor access to safe services, and persistent misinformation.

The experts made this known during a three-day media training on women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, held in Keffi, Nasarawa State between 2-4 December.

Continued; https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/841062-expert-links-unsafe-abortion-to-rising-maternal-mortality.html

05.12.2025

News

Emannuella Azu

Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation

maternal mortality

maternal mortality ratio

Soteria-Afrique Rural Healthcare Initiative

Talemoh Dah

Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act

World Health Organisation

The alarming reality of unsafe abortions in Nigeria: A call to action

By OYAWIN
Sep 10, 2025

Unsafe abortion is a significant public health concern in Nigeria, contributing to the country’s high maternal mortality ratio.

Under Nigerian law, abortion is permitted only when the mother’s life is at risk. However, unsafe abortions remain a leading cause of maternal deaths and complications, claiming an estimated 50,000 women’s lives annually.

The lack of documentation and the prevalence of unorthodox procedures—carried out by traditional healers, roadside medicine dealers, and poorly trained practitioners—fuel this alarming figure. Poverty also plays a role, as many families living on less than a dollar per day cannot afford contraception.

Continued: https://www.westernpost.ng/the-alarming-reality-of-unsafe-abortions-in-nigeria-a-call-to-action-by-oyawin/

10.09.2025

News

maternal mortality ratio

Moruf Olabode

Olabode Youth and Women Initiatives

South Sudan Expands Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Amid Crises

July 22, 2025
Steven Addamah

South Sudan, one of the world’s most challenging contexts for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), is making significant progress through a coordinated national initiative supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners. Years of conflict, climate shocks, and disease outbreaks have severely disrupted the country’s health system, leaving many women and girls without access to essential services.

With a maternal mortality ratio of 692 per 100,000 live births and high adolescent birth and unsafe abortion rates, the Ministry of Health has focused efforts on rebuilding primary healthcare systems. These efforts include training frontline workers, improving service coordination, and equipping health centres to offer life-saving interventions such as skilled birth attendance, post-abortion care, and family planning.

Continued: https://medafricatimes.com/41342-south-sudan-expands-access-to-sexual-and-reproductive-health-services-amid-crises.html

22.07.2025

maternal mortality ratio

World Health Organization

Advancing access to sexual and reproductive health services in South Sudan

21 Jul 2025
Reliefweb

Juba ‒ In an effort to address severely limited access to sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services in South Sudan, the Ministry of Health, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, has been implementing several initiatives to expand access in seven of its 10 states.

Years of overlapping humanitarian crises, including infectious disease outbreaks and complex humanitarian crises driven by conflict and climate-related disasters have disrupted health systems, limiting access to essential health services, including SRHR.

Continued: https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/advancing-access-sexual-and-reproductive-health-services-south-sudan

21.07.2025

maternal mortality ratio

Vivian Hawa

World Health Organization

Sierra Leone’s proposed “Abortion Bill” and matters arising

Fayia J. Moseray
February 4, 2025

Sierra Leone’s proposed Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health (SMRH) bill, which has been laid before the country’s House of Representatives (known as the Well of Parliament), has attracted a fierce debate between the ‘moralists’ in the society and those in support of legalising abortion.

The country’s religious community, on one hand, and the citizens, on another, are up in arms against what they describe as an evil bill, a situation which has necessitated broader consultation with the government through its Ministry of Information and Civic Education (MoICE)

Continued: https://dubawa.org/sierra-leones-proposed-abortion-bill-and-matters-arising/

04.02.2025

News

maternal mortality

maternal mortality ratio

Mohamed Nasiru Bawor

Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health

Sierra Leone Interreligious Council

Total criminalisation of abortion is a threat to sexual and reproductive health in Brazil

BMJ 2025; 388 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.r52
Published 10 January 2025
Michelle Fernandez, Luísa M M Fernandes, Melania M R de Amorim

In Brazil, a proposed constitutional amendment is currently being discussed in the National Congress, aiming to criminalise abortion in the country entirely. It stipulates prison sentences for women who undergo the procedure, ranging from 6 to 20 years, regardless of the circumstances. The proposal equates abortion with the crime of homicide. The suggested penalties for abortion are harsher than those currently imposed on rapists, who face a maximum of 10 years in prison. The proposed amendment would threaten the reproductive rights and health of women in Brazil, and directly affect their dignity and autonomy.

Continued: https://www.bmj.com/content/388/bmj.r52

In Nepal, aid cuts and Trump presidency threaten safe abortion gains

Dwindling aid and the global gag rule have shut down family planning clinics across Nepal. Experts fear a second Trump presidency could further restrict access to safe abortion and other services.

By Catherine Davison
04 November 2024

Gains made in Nepal on lowering maternal deaths from unsafe abortion stand to be undone by a drastic drop in interest from international donors, experts have warned — and a Donald Trump return to the White House could make things worse.

Nepal’s remote and mountainous topography remains a barrier to accessing health care, but huge strides have been made in recent years toward lowering maternal deaths from unsafe abortion. After legalizing abortion in 2002, the maternal mortality ratio dropped from 539 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1996 to 151 in 2021, and the severity of complications from unsafe abortions significantly reduced during that period.

Continued: https://www.devex.com/news/in-nepal-aid-cuts-and-trump-presidency-threaten-safe-abortion-gains-108697

04.11.2024

maternal mortality ratio

U.S. Agency for International Development

Closing Gaps in Maternal Healthcare: Why the world must invest in equitable access for underserved communities

By Jaiyeola Abiose Ayanbadejo
October 28, 2024

Introduction
Maternal health remains one of the most pressing global health challenges, marked by stark disparities between high-income and low- to middle-income countries. While advancements have been made, maternal mortality remains unacceptably high in many regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Globally, over 800 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth, with 94% of these deaths occurring in low-resource settings. The majority of these maternal deaths could be averted with access to quality healthcare, making the case for urgent global reforms aimed at ensuring equitable access to maternal healthcare.

Continued: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/10/closing-gaps-in-maternal-healthcare-why-the-world-must-invest-in-equitable-access-for-underserved-communities/

28.10.2024

Commentary

culturally competent care

Jaiyeola Abiose Ayanbadejo

maternal mortality

maternal mortality ratio

Nigeria – Voices unheard: Tales of stigma, suffering of women seeking abortion

June 28, 2024
by Adekunle Yusuf

Across Nigeria, abortion remains a taboo subject, cloaked in stigma and silence in both northern and southern regions. Beyond the veil lies a stark reality: women face profound emotional scars, societal stigma and life-threatening risks due to heavily regulated and often unsafe procedures. Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF delves into the harsh realities of women’s experiences, navigating Nigeria’s complex cultural, religious and legal landscape, highlighting the urgent need for reforms to ensure safe and accessible healthcare for all women.

Ada’s story begins in the bustling city of Lagos, where the vibrant energy of the metropolis belies her inner turmoil. At 24, Ada found herself pregnant and unprepared, caught in the throes of an unplanned pregnancy with her boyfriend, who quickly vanished upon hearing the news. “I felt like I was drowning,” Ada recalls, her voice a fragile whisper. “Everywhere I turned, there was judgment, and no one to turn to for help.”

Continued: https://thenationonlineng.net/voices-unheard-tales-of-stigma-suffering-of-women-seeking-abortion/

Addressing High Maternal Mortality and Newborn Deaths in Lesotho

20 December 2023

Maternal Mortality remains a key issue affecting women of reproductive age across the African Region. The current Maternal Mortality Ratio for Lesotho is 566/100,000 live births. This is categorized as very high and is above the regional average of 545/100,000 live births

To address the high maternal and neonatal mortalities in Lesotho, the technical expert for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) and Ageing of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Multi-Country Assignment Team (MCAT) had an in-country engagement in Lesotho to assess the situation as well as the general health context of the country.

Continued: https://www.afro.who.int/countries/lesotho/news/addressing-high-maternal-mortality-and-newborn-deaths-lesotho

20.12.2023