Marie Stopes PNG, the country’s largest provider of family planning and sexual and reproductive health services says more needs to be done to eliminate unsafe abortion in PNG.
MSPNG Country Director, Dr David Ayres raised concerns in relation to an incident recently reported in the news about a young lady, only 16-years old, who lost her life because of an unplanned pregnancy, which she was trying to abort.
“Unfortunately, this is not the first time a young woman has died because of an unplanned pregnancy in PNG, and it won’t be the last,” Dr. Ayres said.
Globally, approximately 121 million unplanned pregnancies occur each year, 73 million of them end in abortion, and 22,000 of those will result in death, due to unsafe practices. At least 10 million of the unplanned pregnancies are among adolescents aged 15-19.
“In some countries, abortion is legal. In others it is legally restricted and some societies have quite liberal views of abortion, while others frown upon it,” Dr Ayres said.
He added that research had revealed that women around the world will seek out abortion services regardless of the legal situation, or what society thinks about it, and regardless of prevailing cultural and religious beliefs.
When abortion takes place in a restricted environment, it is often unsafe as what is happening in PNG right now because of its illegality and other reasons expressed above.
People resorting to traditional herbal or other dangerous solutions is another part of the problem, adding that there is a black market for misoprostol.
He added that due to lack of understanding and stigma, many women who experience complications from unsafe abortions are those that do not seek medical attention until it is too late.
Marie Stopes PNG is concerned about the increasing number of women who are coming to MSPNG clinics after attempting to end an unplanned pregnancy with self-administered misoprostol.
“The medication is being sold without prescription either on the street or under the counter to young women who are provided with little or no support about how to administer it or what to look out for,” Dr Ayres said.
“Misoprostol has many life-saving uses, including in the treatment of miscarriages, for post-partum haemorrhage, and in those situations where medical abortions are necessary.”
Even though Misoprostol is much safer than traditional abortion practices, MSPNG is encouraging the appropriate authorities to investigate and address the Misoprostol black market.
“Unsafe abortion practices in PNG will likely continue to result in the deaths of young women throughout the country, unless further work is done to prevent unplanned pregnancies,” he said.
Dr Ayres encouraged people to access family planning, and Professor Glen Mola’s advice that every pregnancy must be planned carefully using family planning.
“At MSPNG we are working tirelessly to provide family planning to everyone who wants it, irrespective of their age, marital status, or any other factor.”