37% of Maternal Deaths in Lagos Slums Tied to Unsafe Abortions

37% of Maternal Deaths in Lagos Slums Tied to Unsafe Abortions – Research Reveals
Economic hardship also compels many women to forgo medical attention during emergencies
Focus group participants also described a pervasive culture of silence and fear

Unsafe abortions are responsible for about 37 per cent of all pregnancy-related deaths among women in Lagos slum communities, according to a new study by the Leadership Initiative for Youth Empowerment (LIFE), which has called for urgent government and community intervention.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the study, conducted in Oshodi-Isolo and Mushin local government areas, exposes the deep socio-economic, cultural, and health system failures that continue to drive preventable maternal deaths in some of Lagos’s most densely populated areas.

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Titled “Identifying and Addressing the Root Causes of Preventable Maternal Deaths and Abortion-Related Mortality in Oshodi-Isolo and Mushin, Lagos State,” the report paints a troubling picture of reproductive health challenges confronting women in urban poor settlements.

According to the findings, poverty, stigma, and limited access to quality healthcare remain the biggest factors driving unsafe abortions and maternal mortality in the studied areas.

While over 85 per cent of respondents reported attending antenatal clinics, the report notes that inadequate healthcare infrastructure, long waiting hours, and dependence on male partners for medical decisions often delay access to timely care. Economic hardship also compels many women to forgo medical attention during emergencies.

Alarmingly, 37 per cent of women surveyed admitted to having had an abortion many under unsafe conditions. Reasons cited included financial hardship, partner rejection, and fear of social stigma. Some resorted to unqualified providers or self-administered drugs, exposing themselves to life-threatening complications.

The study further revealed that 86 per cent of respondents earned below the national minimum wage of ₦70,000, making safe reproductive healthcare unaffordable. Cultural beliefs and mistrust of orthodox medicine also play a role, as many women prefer traditional birth attendants (TBAs) due to the fear of surgery or hospital costs.

In several cases, complications from unsafe abortions were worsened by women seeking further help from TBAs rather than medical facilities.

Focus group participants also described a pervasive culture of silence and fear. “Some women would rather risk their lives than go to a hospital where people will gossip about them,” one respondent from Oshodi-Isolo said.

37% of Maternal Deaths in Lagos Slums Tied to Unsafe Abortions - Research Reveals

Respondents cited long queues, poor facilities, unfriendly staff attitudes, and lack of ambulances as major weaknesses of public healthcare delivery in the communities.

To curb the crisis, LIFE urged the Lagos State Government to strengthen primary healthcare centres, expand emergency obstetric and post-abortion care, and create financial support systems for low-income women.

The group also recommended comprehensive sexuality education, community sensitization campaigns on safe motherhood, and training for health workers to provide confidential, non-judgmental reproductive health services.

“Maternal deaths linked to unsafe abortions are entirely preventable,” the report concluded. “By tackling poverty, stigma, and systemic healthcare failures, Lagos can save countless women from dying needlessly and move closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing maternal mortality to fewer than 70 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030.”

LIFE emphasized that sustainable progress will require collaboration among government, health professionals, civil society, and local communities to ensure that every woman regardless of income or status has access to safe, affordable, and respectful reproductive care.