2024-08-13 10:43:57
In 2020, the government estimated that at least 200 women died as a result of complications from clandestine abortions in Benin. And even after the right to safe abortion came into force in the country, abortion stories that turn into tragedy are not rare.
It is impossible to be an insensitive witness to Yasmine’s calls. The scene takes place at the Hubert KOUTOUKOU MAGA National University Center in Cotonou, precisely at the CUGO (University Center of Gynecology and Obstetrics. In the middle of the crowd, the woman we chose to call Yasmine is inconsolable. According to our indiscretions , Her daughter Aicha was found dead in the car that took them to the center, she tried to terminate the pregnancy before losing consciousness.
The story of Aicha is just a tragedy among all those who play out in the secrets of families in Benin. Among young people and adolescents, clandestine abortions account for 20% of maternal deaths. Why didn’t Aicha trust her mother before resorting to voluntary termination of pregnancy in hiding?
In the camp of youth and teenagers, comprehensive sexuality education is still taboo, and there is a lack of unrestricted dialogue between parents and children on the blacklist to prevent these tragedies.
Basically, who would want their daughter or wife to die in these conditions for a procedure that they can benefit from in complete safety in the hospital? Should death or infertility be a sanction because one chose not to enjoy the reproductive product of intercourse?
#Clandestine #abortion #Benin #womens #risk