A gynecologist, Dr Kehinde Abimbola, has raised the alarm over the high rate of unsafe abortions during the lockdown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abimbola, who is Head Gynecologist of a foremost private hospital in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, voiced his concerns in an exclusive chat with Daily Sun at the weekend.
The expert said he had observed that many couples, as a result of the lockdown, have been engaging in unprotected sexual activities, a situation which has given rise to unwanted pregnancies.
According to him, couples who are locked down at home are likely to have sexual intercourse without protection.
He noted that in the past few weeks the number of women and couples who approached his clinic for abortion increased, warning the trend was already reaching an alarming rate.
Abimbola, who disclosed that he often declined requests for abortions, however, expresses his worries that women with unplanned pregnancies may visit quacks for unsafe abortions.
While noting that unsafe abortions could lead to death and result in serious reproductive complications, the medical expert advised couples to either engage in protected sex or adopt a family planning method to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
He also urged the state government to ensure that family planning centres across the state are well equipped in order to be able to provide adequate services to the people during the lockdown.
‘The probability that couples who are locked down at home as a result of the coronavirus to have unprotected sex is high. This may eventually lead to unplanned or what I can call unwanted pregnancies. And if this happens, such people will be seeking for a way out, which is abortion. But my worry and concern is the high possibility of the people to visit quacks for unsafe abortions. And this trend of unsafe abortions is reaching an alarming rate, which must be nipped in the bud.
‘This, as we all know, may lead to death or serious reproductive complications. So, I will advise that people who don’t want pregnancy should ensure that they protect themselves when having sex or get a family planning method, to safe themselves, especially women, from the dangers of unsafe abortions and stress of carrying unplanned pregnancies,’ Abimbola said.
THE SUN
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