On October 15, 2025, the debate over abortion rights and reproductive health reached a fever pitch, both in Nigeria and the United States, as new court rulings, expert commentaries, and public events highlighted the deep divides—and urgent stakes—surrounding women’s access to safe abortion and the broader implications for society.
In Nigeria, the consequences of the country’s restrictive abortion laws have become tragically familiar. According to reporting published on October 15, 2025, by Vanguard, abortion remains illegal, with penalties reaching up to 14 years in prison for doctors who assist. Yet, these legal barriers have not stopped women and girls from seeking abortions. Instead, they push them toward clandestine and often unsafe procedures, with devastating results. Many women, facing unwanted pregnancies from circumstances such as rape, incest, or financial desperation, resort to unlicensed practitioners and unsafe environments. The result? Severe infections, uncontrolled bleeding, and, all too often, death.
The case of Blessing Sunday Etim, a 35-year-old woman from Akwa Ibom State, is a stark reminder. She died after a botched abortion performed by a self-acclaimed doctor, Sunday Okon Akpan, who was later arrested and found to have no medical or nursing qualifications, according to the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John. Blessing’s story is not unique. Experts estimate that unsafe abortion is responsible for approximately 40 percent of maternal deaths in Nigeria—a figure that, as Professor Ernest Orji of Obafemi Awolowo University told Vanguard, reflects the country’s “staggering” maternal mortality rate.
“Poverty is the root cause of most maternal deaths,” Orji explained, “because it fuels ignorance, limits access to proper healthcare, and pushes women into desperate and often fatal decisions.” Despite the threat of prosecution, women—especially adolescents, students, and unmarried young adults—continue to seek abortions, often in secrecy and without medical supervision. Dr. Kemi Oduyemi, a consultant at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, warned that the lack of safe abortion services, combined with stigma and moral judgment, is driving Nigerian women into life-threatening situations. “Nigeria’s restrictive reproductive health policies have created a dangerous environment where desperation and silence often lead to death,” she said.
During the International Safe Abortion Day event in Abuja, Dr. Talemoh Dah of Gibonna Women’s Hospital highlighted that unsafe abortion contributes to 10 percent of maternal mortality annually in Nigeria, equating to about 6,000 deaths. The conference, themed “Reproductive Justice: Crashing Maternal Mortality through reduced Unsafe Abortions,” was organized by Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation and attended by federal health officials and civil society stakeholders. Dr. Lucky Palmer, Ipas Nigeria’s Country Director, described unsafe abortion as a major cause of preventable deaths and called for urgent action to prevent these avoidable tragedies.
There are signs of legal change. In a landmark decision, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that where a woman becomes pregnant as a result of unlawful carnal knowledge—such as rape—she has the fundamental right to terminate the pregnancy if she chooses. This ruling, which expands legal access to abortion beyond cases where the woman’s life is at risk, is binding on all Nigerian courts. The court recognized that pregnancies resulting from sexual violence violate the rights to physical and mental health guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. The case, filed by the Reproductive Justice Initiative Foundation with support from Ipas Nigeria, sets a new precedent for reproductive rights in Nigeria.
Despite this progress, many experts and advocates argue that much more needs to be done. Stakeholders have called for urgent reform of Nigeria’s restrictive abortion laws and increased investment in family planning to reduce unintended pregnancies and abortion-related deaths. Mariam Olaide Jagun, a public health specialist, appealed to the federal government to ensure access to safe abortion and abortion care services across the country. Dr. Binyerem Ukaire, Director of Family Health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, pledged the ministry’s cooperation in tackling unsafe abortion, commending Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation for its efforts.
The issue is not unique to Nigeria. In the United States, abortion rights remain a flashpoint of political and cultural debate. A commentary published on October 11, 2025, in MedPage Today argued that natalism—the belief in the importance of human reproduction—is incompatible with public health. This perspective was sharply disputed in a guest article by Dr. Hector O. Chapa, an obstetrician-gynecologist, published in Live Action News on October 15, 2025. Dr. Chapa contends that natalism is foundational to the practice of obstetrics and that promoting childbirth is essential for the continuation and flourishing of society. “Without natalism, there would be no public at all,” he wrote, emphasizing that every intervention in obstetrics is geared toward ensuring positive outcomes for both mother and child.
Dr. Chapa also critiqued the view that abortion is necessary for women’s empowerment and economic success. He referenced a panel at the 2025 South by Southwest event, where Chelsea Clinton stated that abortion was necessary for America’s “economic and fiscal health.” Dr. Chapa found this perspective “deeply troubling and ultimately limiting,” arguing that it suggests women’s success and the nation’s prosperity are contingent on the termination of nascent life. “Such a narrative is profoundly damaging to women’s confidence and mental health as it implies that women are not capable of achieving their professional, personal, and societal goals while also embracing motherhood.”
He further criticized a comment by Michelle Obama, who, in a May 2025 podcast, described producing life as “the least” of what a woman’s reproductive system does. Dr. Chapa countered, “No, Mrs. Obama… it is not the least, it is the greatest that it can do, or we would cease to exist as a society.” He argued that true feminism should champion the full spectrum of women’s abilities, including the transformative potential inherent in childbirth, rather than viewing motherhood solely as a burden or societal imposition.
These competing perspectives reveal a stark divide. On one side, advocates in Nigeria and elsewhere argue that restrictive abortion laws drive women into unsafe conditions and contribute to preventable deaths, calling for decriminalization and expanded access to safe abortion as a matter of public health and human rights. On the other, some healthcare professionals and commentators warn against framing abortion as a prerequisite for women’s empowerment, insisting that society should also celebrate and support motherhood as a core aspect of female identity and societal survival.
What’s clear, as the debate rages on both sides of the Atlantic, is that the stakes are high—not just for women’s health, but for the very fabric of society. Whether through legal reform, public health investment, or cultural change, the choices made now will shape the lives and futures of millions.