By Our Correspondent
The Leadership Initiative for Youth Empowerment (LIFE), has identified unsafe abortion practices as a significant contributor to Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rate, which remains one of the highest globally.
According to LIFE’s research, unsafe abortions account for nearly 40% of maternal deaths in Nigeria, with an estimated 610,000 unsafe procedures performed annually.
Adolescents aged 15-24 are disproportionately affected, particularly in urban areas like Lagos, where over 53% of women admitted for abortion-related complications fall within the 16-25 age bracket.
Restrictive laws, social stigma, financial constraints, and inadequate access to reproductive healthcare force many women to turn to unsafe methods, leading to severe complications such as infections, infertility, and even death.
LIFE has called for urgent measures, including expanding access to family planning, improving healthcare infrastructure, particularly in rural areas, and implementing legal reforms to facilitate safe reproductive healthcare.
Community awareness campaigns and partnerships with NGOs are also critical to addressing societal stigma and reducing maternal deaths.
LIFE emphasized that with concerted efforts from policymakers, healthcare providers, and stakeholders, maternal mortality caused by unsafe abortions can be significantly reduced, ensuring better health outcomes for Nigerian women and girls.
