Maternal mortality in Nigeria: a long case of angst and discuss

Ogungbile Emmanuel Oludotun, University of Ibadan
September 14, 2020

On 11th September 2020, Daily Times, a foremost Nigerian Newspaper reported that the former governor of Sokoto State, Aliyu Wamakko, lost his daughter, Sadiya, who reportedly died during child-birth. Sadiya died at the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, on Thursday. It was sad that the 23-year-old lady died in event of complications arising from childbirth. So I wondered even the elite also suffers from maternal mortality? This is 2020 and we are still talking about the high rate of maternal mortality in Nigeria which breeds death of millions of people who should not have died, most especially the first-timers.

Specifically today, we still talk of maternal mortality as a major risk for women of childbearing age in Nigeria. The country’s maternal mortality ratio has always stayed elevated despite efforts to curb maternal deaths.

Continued: https://qwenu.com/2020/09/14/maternal-mortality-in-nigeria-a-long-case-of-angst-and-discuss-by-ogungbile-emmanuel-oludotun/

Ghana – Reducing Unsafe Abortions, The Need For A More Comprehensive Services And Care For Women

By Afedzi Abdullah
09/09/2020

Despite Ghana having relatively liberal laws on abortion, the procedure continues to be highly stigmatised, and as a result, many abortions are done illegally.

Consequently, the country is lacking accurate data on abortion incidence and unintended pregnancies which are very essential to planning reproductive health services.

Continued: https://www.modernghana.com/news/1028434/reducing-unsafe-abortions-the-need-for-a-more.html

Does Having An Abortion Affect Your Fertility?

Alice Broster, Forbes
Sep 2, 2020

Abortions are recognized as a human right by the World Health Organisation as a person has the right to “decide freely and responsibly without coercion and violence the number, spacing and timing of their children.” However, a lot of misinformation and misconceptions are attached to abortions and future pregnancies. So, does having an abortion affect your fertility? This is such a relevant question as people seek out abortion procedures for a multitude of reasons with the intention of having a family in the future. Myths like this only attach stigma and prevent people from accessing information and treatment.

The Guttmacher Institute estimates that between 2015 and 2019 there were 121 million unintended pregnancies each year globally. Of those unintended pregnancies, 61% ended in abortion. When you’re considering having an abortion it’s totally natural that you’d think about your fertility in the long run. And the short explanation is that there’s no evidence that would suggest that either a medical or surgical abortion causes infertility when done in a safe setting.

Continued: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicebroster/2020/09/02/does-having-an-abortion-affect-your-fertility/#1af946ac5ef6

Nigerians not aware of their sexual health, rights –Fajemisin

Published August 5, 2020
Morenike Fajemisin

Morenike Fajemisin is a pharmacist and multiple-award winner in sexual and reproductive health innovation. In this interview with GRACE EDEMA, she speaks on how the culture of silence and stigmatisation has contributed to the sexual and reproductive health challenges of Nigerians

How would you rate Nigerians’ awareness of sexual and reproductive health?

Nigerians’ awareness of their sexual and reproductive health and rights is very low. Young adults who lack sexual health knowledge grow to become older adults with the same problem. This cycle of silence, shame and stigma over sexual and reproductive health matters keeps repeating itself with each generation and only gets better by a small margin. We need new bolder solutions.

Continued: https://punchng.com/nigerians-not-aware-of-their-sexual-health-rights-fajemisin/

05.08.2020

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Malta – Abortion laws fit for purpose?

July 20, 2020
Isabel Stabile

It is widely, although falsely, assumed that there is only one possible true moral belief system and that, therefore, those who do not espouse those views must be acting immorally.

If this were the case, any form of moral argument would be superfluous.

Continued: https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/abortion-laws-fit-for-purpose-isabel-stabile.806022

20.07.2020

World Health Organisation

Panama – Impact of COVID-19 on Unsafe Abortion

Dr Ruth De Leon, Sociedad Panameña de Obstetricia y Ginecología (SPOG) shares how the COVID-19 pandemic is resulting in higher levels of unintended pregnancies in Panama, and as a result places a woman at a greater risk to unsafe abortion and maternal death.

13 July 2020
Dr Ruth de Leon

The Panamanian government implemented preventative measures in January 2020, to ensure that access to and the supply of health care remained strong in order to manage COVID-19. Such measures included suspending elective surgeries, visits and external consultations both in the public and private spheres to free-up slots, in addition to suspending vacations for health workers in the public sector as well as making more beds and resources available within the public and private health sector.

Four days after the first case was confirmed in Panama, on March 13, 2020, a curfew occurred, which started out being flexible, of only 8 hours (from 9:00 pm to 5:00 am), but since then there has been a 24-hour curfew.

Continued: https://www.figo.org/news/impact-covid-19-unsafe-abortion

Pro-Choice vs Pro-Life splits Namibia

By Southern Times -- Jul 10,2020
Benahzir Majiedt

Windhoek – An emotive Bill seeking to legalise abortion, tabled by the Deputy Health Minister Ester Muinjangue in Parliament, has split Namibian society as the pro-choice and pro-life debate takes centre stage in the Southern African country.

Muinjangue described the right to choose whether or not to carry a pregnancy through to birth (pro-choice) was the hallmark of a “progressive” nation that placed rights above religion and “morality”.

Continued: https://southerntimesafrica.com/site/news/pro-choice-vs-pro-life-splits-namibia

South Asia – ASEAN Underground Abortion

ASEAN Underground Abortion

Athira Nortajuddin
6 July 2020

Abortion is an extremely taboo topic in some parts of conservative Southeast
Asia.

ASEAN member states such as the Philippines and Lao do not permit abortion.
Whereas Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand only allow abortion if a medical
practitioner deems that continuing the pregnancy poses a danger to the mother’s
life and health.

Continued: https://theaseanpost.com/article/asean-underground-abortion

Namibia – Beyond the veil of unsafe abortion

2020-07-01
by Yokany Oliveira

SHE still cannot erase the dark memory of the day she overdosed on pills in order to induce an abortion in 2010.

The incident landed *Ndinelao in hospital where she was treated for severe bleeding.

Ndinelao took the pills knowing she would experience severe side effects but her desire to terminate the pregnancy was greater than the risk.

Continued: https://www.namibian.com.na/92360/read/Beyond-the-veil-of-unsafe-abortion

01.07.2020

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Access to emergency contraceptive pills is a woman’s right, not a luxury

Pharmacies price the pill at Rwf 10,000, Rwf 15,000, or even Rwf 25,000 instead of Rwf 4,200
By Dr Aflodis Kagaba
Published : June 29, 2020

During an unexpected and often dangerous situation, a person is required to take immediate action, the same applies to the prevention of an unwanted pregnancy.

The ever-increasing access to birth control for Rwandan women is a sign of progress in supporting them to take more control of their bodies.

Continued: https://www.newtimes.co.rw/opinions/access-emergency-contraceptive-pills-womans-right-not-luxury