Unsafe abortion as a risk factor for maternal mortality in Liberia

Liberia has one of the world’s highest maternal mortality rates, and unsafe abortion is a significant contributor to this issue. Despite a decrease in maternal mortality rates, they are still far from the Sustainable Development Goal target. Abortion is mostly prohibited in Liberia, which makes it difficult to document the correlation between maternal mortality and unsafe abortion. The lack of access to safe abortion and post-abortion care services due to stigma and strict laws leads women to seek unsafe and unclean abortions. Liberia has developed strategies to reduce maternal mortalities, but it is not enough as women still die from preventable unsafe abortions. The lawmakers in Liberia are preparing a bill to expand access to abortion, subject to tight restrictions that many women evade through dangerous means.