Unintended Pregnancies, Unsafe Abortion and its Implications on Women of Reproductive Age in Malawi

Abstract

In Malawi, each year, large numbers of women die from illegally induced abortions, contributing to high rates of maternal mortality. Magnitude-wise, data compiled by Ipas Malawi reveals that in 2022 alone, 3,395 women and girls induced unsafe abortions and sought treatment at post-abortion clinics in district health facilities. The increase in the number of those seeking post-abortion treatment was observed in both Blantyre and Lilongwe. While health facilities in Blantyre provided post-abortion care to 665 women in 2020, the number rose to 1,144 in 2021 and further to 3,395 in 2022. A similar trend is observed in Lilongwe, which recorded 1,098 cases in 2020, 4,711 cases in 2021, and 7,851 cases in 2022. The trend is also present in rural districts such as Rumphi, which recorded 327 post-abortion cases in 2020, 448 cases in 2021, and 569 cases in 2022.