Opinion
EVERYONE close to me knows about my penchant for roasted plantain, popularly called Boli. Don’t be surprised if you catch me waiting in line somewhere to grab some. My bougie friends think it weird and ask why I don’t just make them at home in the oven. The simple answer is, they don’t turn out the same as the local experts would.
So, upper week, I found myself waiting for my picks to be prepared. Three young teenage school girls joined me, and even while I was thinking that the prices would be out of their budget, they picked theirs too, confirming they were big girls. They chatted excitedly and one didn’t need to eavesdrop. The discussion was centered around one of them who was dating a ‘big boy’ of sorts. She expressed fear about the Valentine celebration and possibility of getting pregnant again. My heart skipped a beat. She’d just been relieved of one and didn’t want to get into another trouble so quickly, she said. But her companions were of a different opinion, assuring her that she had struck gold in the guy and should not miss an opportunity of a lifetime. Pregnancies can always be terminated, besides, she could always have the baby and marry the guy. “Can one marry at 17 years,” the girl asked and the two friends chorused “yes na’. The Boli woman and I shared a glance, pretending we were not interested in their discussion. Not that they cared anyways as they continued discussing their escapades with the opposite sex as if it was a natural for their age bracket. Long after I left the place, my head could not let go of all I’d just heard. Is it that they knew too much of the wrong things or they are not aware of the dangers (immediate and long term) of their (mis)adventures.
One could easily assume that these little women were regularly procuring abortions with no concern of the consequences. Let no one play the ostrich here. Though it is a fact that abortion is illegal in Nigeria, it can be procured almost anywhere provided you have the funds. The illegal status attached, also makes it easier for quacks to jump into the foray, leaving a trail of desperate victims, struggling to cope with the unfortunate situations they found themselves.
If one is lucky enough to survive the dangers of unsafe abortion, you might not be so lucky with likely long term effects, especially with regards to future pregnancies. Some crucial conditions that one may experience, years after procuring an abortion or abortions may include.
Laceration of the cervix
This is a cut which produces a wound with irregular edges on the cervical walls. About one out of every 20 women suffers this during an abortion. This causes a woman to have nearly a 50-50 percent chance of miscarrying in the next pregnancy if it is not treated.
Placenta Previa
This is a condition where the baby’s placenta lies over the exit of the uterus so that the placenta has to be delivered before the baby can. Where this is not detected on time and the baby is delivered by Cesarean Section, it will cause severe bleeding for the mother and perhaps death for the baby. It is believed that a woman who has had an abortion stands a risk of 6-15 times chances of developing this condition.
RH Incompatibility
It is important that every woman knows her Rhesus status. A negative Rhesus status may cause incompatibilities between a woman and her baby. It is important that this status is detected and treated as soon as a woman is pregnant with her first baby. When not treated, future babies will need transfusions soon after birth. The incompatibility will also cause future babies to be born dead or die soon after birth. It is very important that before an abortion, your baby’s blood type must be ascertained so you will not be affected with future pregnancies.
Sterility
After an abortion, a woman can become sterile. According to experts, sterility occurs in 1 out of 20-50 women after abortion. It is also believed that women who have had at least one abortion are three to four times at risk of secondary infertility than women who have not aborted.
Ectopic (Tubal) Pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy is a pregnancy that occurs outside the uterus. If not detected early, the pregnancy will rupture, causing bleeding, loss of the tube and even death. It is believed that once a woman has had an abortion, she is 8-20 times more likely to have an ectopic pregnancy. The chances of ectopic pregnancy even increases with the number of abortions a woman has performed.
The carefree attitude with which young people now attach to sex and intimacy, calls for concern from all stakeholders in the grooming on children and adolescents, else we may have a crisis at hand soon. A
VANGUARD
17th February, 2024.
C.E.
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