D And C Abortion In Nigeria

Because abortion is legal only to save a womans life most procedures are clandestine and many are carried out in unsafe circumstances.

D and c abortion in nigeria.

Dilation and curettage a brief surgical procedure in which the cervix is dilated and a special instrument is used to scrape the uterine lining. Doctors perform dilation and curettage to diagnose and treat certain uterine conditions such as heavy bleeding or to clear the uterine lining after a miscarriage or abortion. Although it is also used after miscarriages to remove tissue. The procedure may be done over a two day period.

In nigeria abortion is legal only when performed to save a woman s life. Dilation and evacuation d e is an abortion procedure that s used in the second trimester usually after the 14th week of pregnancy. Abortion is a controversial topic in nigeria. Abortion in nigeria is governed by two laws that differ depending on geographical location.

Legalization of abortion in nigeria. Northern nigeria is governed by the penal code and southern nigeria is governed by the criminal code. Unsafe abortions can endanger womens reproductive health and lead to serious often life threatening. Popularly known as d and c it means.

D and c is used clandestinely to carry out abortions illegally in nigeria. Still abortions are common and most are unsafe because they are done clandestinely by unskilled providers or both. Two separate abortion laws govern the northern and southern regions of nigeria with the southern region allowing abortions to preserve both the physical and mental wellbeing of the woman. As a result of the abortion laws currently in place in the country nigeria is said to be one of the most restrictive countries when it comes to abortion.

Unsafe abortion is a major contributor to the country s high levels of maternal death ill health and disability. Dilation and curettage d c is a procedure to remove tissue from inside your uterus. According to the criminal code which is used in southern nigeria the abortion laws are explicitly in the sections 228 229 and 230. The northern region is majority muslim and is governed by the penal code while the southern region is majority christian and governed by the criminal code.

Under nigerian law performing an abortion is a criminal offense unless the pregnancy threatens the woman s life and penalties for the offense are severe. Each year in nigeria hundreds of thousands of women become pregnant without wanting to and many women with unwanted pregnancies decide to end them by abortion.