Renne 1996

7/24/2019 Renne 1996

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/renne-1996 1/12

ergamon

0277-9536(95)00171-9

Soc. Sci. Med. Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 483-494, 1996

Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd

Printed in Great Britain.All rights reserved

0277-9636/96 $15.00 + 0.00

T H E P R E G N A N C Y T H A T D O E S N T S TA Y :

T H E P R A C T IC E A N D P E R C E P T I O N O F A B O R T I O N B Y

E K IT I Y O R U B A W O M E N

ELISHA P. RENNE

Office of Population Research, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544-2091, U.S.A.

A~tract---Ekiti Yoruba village women in southwest Nigeria make use of traditional and 'patent '

medicines as abortifacients as well as D&Cs performed in urban centers to terminate unwanted

pregnancies. This paper examines present day abortion practices and attitudes and relates them to

traditional beliefs about conception, fetal development and infertility. These beliefs, along with factors

of economy and access, help to explain the continued use of abortion as a form of birth control, despite

the presence of other options. The paper concludes with a discussion of the current debate about legalizing

abortion in Nigeria and a recommendation consonant with everyday village practice.

K e y w o r d s - - a b o r t i o n , Yoruba, infertility, legalization

INTRODUCTION

For many--though not all--rural Ekiti Yoruba

women in southwestern Nigeria, abortion is con-

sidered to be one among a con tin uum of birth control

options, which include the use of traditional medi-

cines prepared by local herbalists and 'patent' medi-

cines obtained from pharmacies. Such substances

come under the general name, o o g u n t i w o n l e f t s e k i

o y un m a a d u r o - - m e d i c i n e that keeps a pregnancy

from staying'. As this general name suggests, such

medicines--and associated activities--may include

some which terminate a pregnancy as well as those

that can prevent one. Thus the distinction between

contracept ing and terminating a pregnancy is not

always clearly made.

Most people are aware of this dist inction, generally

associated with medicines taken before intercourse

and those taken after. However, as one b a b a l a w o

(diviner-healer) pointed out, It is easier to bring

down a pregnancy than to prevent one. His com-

ment suggests a technological explanation for the

local prevalence of medicines that terminate a preg-

nancy over contracep ting types and explains, in part,

why this distinction is not emphasized.

Further, the blurred line between what constitutes

contraceptives and abortifacients--both referred to

at times as

o o g u n b a j e ,

'medicine that spoils', reflects

a part icular reproductive ideology in which the ethi-

cal distinction between abort ion and contracep tion is

not the revelant one. According to the traditional

ideal, a woman during her reproductive life should

have as many children as two years of post-partum

abstinence allows. One should welcome pregnancy,

not prevent it.

This paper considers the persistence of abort ion as

a form of birth control, despite the presence of other

options and the well-known dangers associated with

this procedure. Specifically, the practices and percep-

tions of abortion for a group of rural Ekiti Yoruba

women are discussed, indicating who aborts and

why as well as who performs them and how. These

practices are then related to cultural beliefs about

prenatal development, infertility and conception.

I suggest that these beliefs, along with factors of

economy and access, help to explain the continued

reliance on abortion as a means of birth control.

Finally the paper concludes with a discussion of the

current national debate about legalizing abortion in

Nigeria, a policy advocated by the present minister of

health. While national figures continue to argue over

this issue [1] and the n ati ona l press seems to generally

be against legalizat ion [2, 3] wome n at the grass roots

level in rural Ekiti and elsewhere in Nigeria consider

their options and continue to get abortions.

RESEARCH SETTING AND METHODS

The Ekiti Yoruba comprise a sub-group of the

Yoruba-speaking people of southwestern Nigeria,

residing mainly in the nort hern half of the present day

Ondo State. Tradit ionally, men were farmers and

women were traders and weavers. Today many Ekiti

women and men have secondary school certificates or

some higher education and are employed in schools

and government offices in towns and cities. Others,

remain ing in rural areas, combine farming and trad-

ing with semi-skilled occupations such as carpentry

and hairdressing, practiced on a part-time basis.

While relatively isolated in the past, nowadays Ekiti

483

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484 Elisha P. Renne

v i l la g e r s a t t e n d s c h o o l , v i s i t fa m i l y , a n d t r a v e l t o

m a j o r u r b a n c e n te r s su c h a s L a g o s a n d I b a d a n . T h u s

m a n y o f t h e w o m e n a n d m e n q u e s t i o n e d i n th i s s t u d y

w e r e e x p o s e d t o t r e n d s a n d f a s h i o n s i n N i g e r i a m o r e

gene ra l l y .

T h e v i l la g e in w h i c h I l i v e d fo r n i n e m o n t h s

w a s l o c a t e d i n a r u r a l a r e a n o r t h e a s t o f A d o - E k i t i .

I t h a d a p e r m a n e n t p o p u l a t i o n o f a p p ro x . 3 5 00

i n h a b i t a n t s , i t s n u m b e r s b o l s t e r e d d u r i n g h o l i d a y s b y

f a m i l y a n d f r ie n d s . S i t u a t e d a l o n g a p a v e d F e d e r a l

h i g h w a y p l i e d b y n u m e r o u s t a x i s , v i l la g e r s ( a n d

m y s e l f i n c l u d e d ) t o o k a d v a n t a g e o f t h i s e a s y t r a n s -

p o r t , f r e q u e n t l y t r a v e l l in g t o n e a r b y t o w n s a n d

m a r k e t s . V i l l a g e r s a l s o h a d a c c e s s , i f i n t e r m i t t e n t l y ,

t o e l e c t r ic i t y a n d p i p e - b o r n e w a t e r . T h e r e w e r e t h r e e

p r i m a r y s c h o o l s , o n e s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l , a p o s t o f f ic e ,

a p o l i c e s t a t io n , a m a t e r n i t y c l i n i c a n d d i s p e n s a r y ,

a n d a n e w h o s p i t a l , j o i n t l y c o n s t r u c t e d w i t h a n e i g h -

b o r i n g t o w n . I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e s e m o d e r n h e a l t h

c e n t e rs , m a n y v i l la g e r s a l s o c o n s u l t e d a n y o f 1 5 l o c a l

d i v i n e r - h e a l e r s babalawo) a n d h e r b a l i s t s onisegun)

a b o u t m e d i c a l p r o b l e m s , a s w e l l a s t r a v e l li n g t o s e e

s u c h p r a c t i t i o n e r s i n n e i g h b o r i n g t o w n s a n d v i ll a g es .

R e s e a r c h f o r t h is s t u d y , c o n d u c t e d f r o m J u n e 1 99 1

t o M a r c h 1 9 9 2 , b e g a n w i t h a h o u s e h o l d c e n s u s a n d

o p e n - e n d e d i n t e r v i e w s o f 7 0 w o m e n ( a g e s 1 5 - 3 9 ) a n d

6 6 m e n ( a g e s 2 0 - 4 4 ) s e l e c te d b y a g e a n d a v a i l a b i l i ty ,

o n a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d f a m i ly p la n n i n g a n d g o v e r n m e n t

p o p u l a t i o n p o l i c i e s , u s e o f b i r t h c o n t r o l m e t h o d s ,

a n d a s s o c i a t e d h e a l t h c o n c e r n s. T h e s e i n t e r v i e w s

w e r e c o n d u c t e d p r i m a r i l y in Y o r u b a b y r e s e a rc h

a s s i s t a n t s ( a w o m a n a n d a m a n ) w h o m I a l t e r n a t e l y

a c c o m p a n i e d . T h e r e c o r d e d i n t e r v i e w s w e r e t h e n

t r a n s l a t e d i n t o E n g l i s h . T h e y w e r e s u p p l e m e n t e d w i t h

in t e rv i ews o f d iv ine r s (5 ) , he rba l i s t s (3 ) and c l i n i c

o w n e r s ( 2 ) q u e r i e d a b o u t v a r i o u s a s p e c t s o f

r e p r o d u c t i v e h e a l t h .

T h r o u g h t h e s e q u a l i t a t i v e i n t e r v i e w s I g a i n e d a

g e n e r a l s e n s e o f t h e a t t i t u d e s a n d v o c a b u l a r y a s s o c i -

a t e d w i t h b i r t h c o n t r o l , i n c l u d i n g t h e p e r v a s i v e n e s s o f

k n o w l e d g e o f a b o r t i f a c i e n t s . T h i s i n f o r m a t i o n w a s

u s e d t o d e v i s e a D H S - l i k e s u r v e y o f b i rt h c o n t r o l u s e ,

D C s , a n d i n f a n t m o r t a l it y o f w h o m 3 00 w o m e n ,

a g e s 1 5 - 4 9 ( T a b l e 1 ) r a n d o m l y s e l e c te d b y r es i d e n c e ,

w e r e q u e s t i o n e d . T h e s e i n t e r v i e w s w e r e c o n d u c t e d b y

t w o w o m e n r e s e a r c h a s s is t a n t s a n d m y s e l f i n t h e e a r l y

pa r t o f 1992 .

B e f o r e e x a m i n i n g t h e r e s u l t s o f t h is s u r v e y , I w o u l d

l i k e t o d i s c u s s t h e u s e o f a b o r t i f a c i e n t s a s b i r t h

c o n t r o l i n t h i s E k i t i v i l l a g e m o r e g e n e r a l ly .

K E E PI N G A PRE G N A N CY FRO M ST A Y I N G I N

A N E K I T I Y O RU BA V I L L A G E

H i s t o r i c a l l y , E k i t i w o m e n s o u g h t t o h a v e m a n y

c h i l d r e n , s p a c e d b y b i r t h e v e r y t w o t o t h r e e y e a r s

a t t a i n e d t h r o u g h s e x u a l a b s t i n e n c e [ 4 ]. T h i s c u l t u r a l

i dea l was r e in fo rced by be l i e f s , s t i l l r e l evan t fo r som e ,

t h a t s e m e n f r o m i n t e r c o u r s e w i l l a f f e c t t h e n u r s i n g

i n f a n t t h r o u g h i t s m o t h e r ' s m i l k , c a u s in g i l ln e s s a n d

P

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o;

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7/24/2019 Renne 1996


Pract ice and percept ion of

p o s s i b l e d e a t h . O n e v i l la g e m a n , f o r e x a m p l e , w h o

r e c e n t l y lo s t t w o c h i l d r e n a s i n f a n t s i n s i s t e d t h a t h e

w o u l d n o t h a v e s e x u a l in t e r c o u r s e w i t h h i s w i fe a f t e r

s h e h a d g i v e n b i r t h u n t i l th e c h i l d w a s w e a n e d . H e

h a d b e e n b l a m e d f o r t h e d e a t h o f h is c h il d r e n b e c a u s e

i t w a s a s s u m e d t h a t h e h a d h a d i n t e r c o u r s e w i th h i s

w i f e w h i l e t h e c h i l d r e n w e r e s t i l l n u r s i n g .

S i n c e a l l o t h e r f o r m s o f b i r t h c o n t r o l f a ll s h o r t o f

t h i s i d e a l o f t w o y e a r s o f a b s t i n e n c e - - b o t h t h o s e

p r e v e n t i n g a s w e l l a s t h o se t e r m i n a t i n g a p r e g n a n c y - -

t h e s e m e t h o d s h a v e b e e n c o n s i d e r e d m o r a l l y s u s p e c t

[ 5]. I t is n o t o n l y a b o r t i o n t h a t s h o u l d b e h i d d e n ; t h e

u s e o f ' f a m i l y p l a n n i n g ' m e t h o d s m o r e g e n e r a l l y

s h o u l d b e h i d d e n a s w e l l . I t i s n o t s u r p r i s i n g , t h e n ,

w h e n I a s k e d t h e n u r s e ' s a i d a t t h e lo c a l m a t e r n i t y

c l i n ic a b o u t t h e t y p e s o f c o n t r a c e p t i v e s a v a i l a b le

f r o m t h e c li n i c ( c o n d o m s , f o a m i n g t a b l e t s a n d f a m i l y

p l a n n i n g p il l s) , s h e s a i d t h a t f e w v i l l a g e r s t o o k a d v a n -

t a g e o f t h is s e r vi c e b e c a u se t h e y w o u l d n ' t w a n t o t h e r s

t o k n o w a n d w o u l d r a t h e r p u r c h a s e s u c h t h i n g s

o u t s i d e .

H o w e v e r , n o t a ll w o m e n a n d m e n l iv e u p t o t h e

i d e a l s o f th e i r s o c i e t y . T h e p r a c t i c e o f u n i v e r s a l

p o s t - p a r t u m a b s t i n e n c e i n t h e p a s t i s b e l ie d b y t h e

p r e s e n c e o f o t h e r t y p e s o f b i r t h c o n t r o l [ 6 ] ( p . 2 4 3 ).

T r a d i t i o n a l d i v i n e r s babalawo) a n d h e r b a l i s t s

onisegun)

h a v e a n a r s e n a l o f m e d i c i n a l a n d s p i r it u a l

d e v i c e s w h i c h , w i t h v a r y i n g d e g r e e s o f s u c c es s , a r e

s a i d to ' k e e p a p r e g n a n c y f r o m s t a y i n g ' . A s s e v e ra l o f

t h e s e m e n s a id t h e y h a d l e a r n e d o f t he s e m e d i c i n e s

f r o m t h e i r f a t h e r s , i t i s l i k e l y t h a t t h e s e p r a c t i c e s a r e

n o t n e w [ 7] . P r e s u m a b l y , s o m e o f t h e se m e d i c i n e s

w e r e u s e d t o c o v e r a n y i n d i s c r e t i o n s d u r i n g t h e t w o

t o t h r e e y e a r ' a b s t i n e n c e ' p e r i o d a s w e ll a s p r e m a r i t a l

d a l l i a n c e s [ 8] . F u r t h e r , n o w t h a t t h e g o v e r n m e n t

h a s s a n c t i o n e d f a m i l y p l a n n i n g [ 9] (p . 4 2 2 ) a n d p o s t -

p a r t u m a b s t i n e n c e is p r a c t i c e d f o r a s h o r te r p e r i o d

( a r o u n d o n e y e a r, o n a v e r a g e ), t r a d i t i o n a l a n d p a t e n t

m e d i c i n e s ( T a b l e 2 ) as w e ll as F a m i l y P l a n n i n g

c o n t r a c e p t i v e s a r e u s e d t o m a i n t a i n t h e s p a c i n g o f

c h i l d r e n , s t i l l c o n s i d e r e d c u l t u r a l l y c o r r e c t .

I t i s w h e n t h e s e m e d i c i n e s a r e i n e f f e c ti v e t h a t

w o m e n m o s t o f t e n g o t o p r i v a t e c l in i c s o r h o s p i t a l s

w h e r e a b o r t i o n s b y D & C a r e p e r f o r m e d . O n e c li n i c

o w n e r i n a n e a r b y t o w n e s t i m a t e d t h a t t w o - t h i r d s o f

t h e t e n a b o r t i o n s h e p e r f o r m e d m o n t h l y ( o n a v e r a g e )

w e r e a r e s u lt o f w o m e n u s i n g o t h e r t h i n g s w h i c h h a d

n o t c o m p l e t e l y w o r k e d . H o w e v e r b e c a u s e o f t h is

abor t ion by Yoruba women

485

t e n d e n c y t o s e l f - a b o r t a n d t h e p o t e n t i a l i l le g a l i ty o f

c l in i c ab o r t ion s , i t i s d i f f i cu l t t o ge t p re c i s e f igu re s

o n t h e i r n u m b e r a n d t y p e s. W h e n I su g g e s t ed t o t h e

a b o v e - m e n t i o n e d c l in i c o w n e r t h a t a b o r t i o n w a s

c o m m o n , h e s a id h e d i d n o t t h i n k i t w as ; ye t a w o m a n

d i v i n e r

iyalawo)

i n t h e s a m e t o w n s a i d s h e h a d

~ p e r fo r m e d u n c o u n t a b l e a b o r t i o n s ' . O n e m a n i n th e

v i l l ag e , a t e a c h e r d e s c r i b e d a s a ' s o c i a l ' d i v i n e r

babalawo)

b e c a u s e h e p e r f o r m e d a b o r t i o n s t o h e l p

p e o p l e r a t h e r t h a n a s h i s p r i m a r y o c c u p a t i o n , s a i d

t h a t a b o r t i o n w a s v e r y c o m m o n . H e a t t r i b u t e d i ts

p r e v a l e n c e to e c o n o m i c h a r d s h i p a s s o c ia t e d w i t h t h e

S t r u c t u r a l A d j u s t m e n t P r o g r a m ( S A P ) , i n s t i t u t e d b y

t h e F e d e r a l G o v e r n m e n t i n 1 9 87 .

F i g u r e s f r o m N i g e r i a n h e a l t h s e c t o r s o u r c e s a r e

e q u a l l y v a g u e , w i t h e s t i m a t e s o f 2 0 0 ,0 0 0 t o 5 0 0 , 0 0 0

p r e g n a n c i e s a b o r t e d a n n u a l l y . F u r t h e r , a n e s t i m a t e d

1 0, 00 0 w o m e n d i e a n n u a l l y a s a r e su l t o f b o t c h e d

a b o r t i o n s [ 1 ] ( p . 1 8 ) . O n e s t u d y b a s e d o n h o s p i t a l

a d m i s s i o n s i n L a g o s e s t i m a t e d t h a t 5 1 % o f m a t e r n a l

d e a t h w a s d u e t o a b o r t i o n c o m p l i c a t i o n s [1 0]. S m a l l e r

s t u d i e s in L a g o s [ I 1 , 1 2] e s t i m a t e d t h a t 5 % a n d 5 . 6 %

o f th e w o m e n s u r v e y e d h a d a b o r t e d p r e g n a n c i e s .

T h e s e f i g u r e s m a y b e l o w b e c a u s e o f t h e r e t i c e n c e

o f w o m e n t o a d m i t t o h a v i n g a b o r t i o n s . H o w e v e r ,

N i c h o l s et al. [ 1 3 ] f o u n d a 4 0 % a b o r t i o n r a t e a m o n g

y o u n g w o m e n ( m a i n l y s e c o n d a ry a n d u n i v e rs i ty

s t u d e n t s ) s u r v e y e d i n t h e i r 1 9 8 2 s t u d y i n I b a d a n .

I n h e r 1 99 1 s u r v ey o f w o m e n i n t h e u r b a n c e n t e r

o f A d o - E k i t i , J o E r w i n f o u n d t h a t 1 6 . 4 % o f

w o m e n s u r v e y e d h a d h a d a b o r t i o n s ( p e r s o n a l

c o m m u n i c a t i o n ) .

B a s e d o n s u r v e y i n te r v i e w s o f 3 0 0 w o m e n i n t h e

E k i t i v i l la g e w h e r e I w o r k e d , 1 5 . 6 % o f t h e s e w o m e n

s a id t h e y h a d a b o r t e d a p r e g n a n c y b y D & C a t l ea s t

o n c e i n t h e ir l iv e s. A n a d d i t i o n a l 5 . 7 % s a id t h e y h a d

u s e d p a t e n t m e d i c i n e s i n t he a t t e m p t t o ' b r i n g a

p r e g n a n c y d o w n ' ( T a b l e 3 ). I b e li e v e t h e s e r e la t i v e l y

h i g h f i g u r e s l i k e l y r e f l e c t t h e f a c t t h a t m y r e s e a r c h

a s s i s t a n t w a s a l o c a l w o m a n , t h a t I r e s i d e d i n t h e

v i l l a g e f o r f iv e m o n t h s b e f o r e a s k i n g s u c h q u e s t i o n s ,

a n d t h a t w e c o n d u c t e d f o l l o w - u p i n t er v i ew s .

I n i t i a l l y , I d i d n o t d i r e c t ly a s k a b o u t p e r s o n a l

a b o r t i o n h i s t o ri e s , b u t r a th e r a s k e d w o m e n w h a t t h e y

k n e w a b o u t o t h e r w o m e n w h o h a d d o n e s o. O f t he

7 0 v i l l a g e w o m e n q u e s t i o n e d i n t h e e a r l y i n t e r v i e w s ,

5 8 k n e w o f e x a m p l e s , o f t e n f r i e n d s , f a m i l y m e m b e r s

o r n e i g h b o r s w i t h w h o m t h e y w e r e a c q u a i n t e d

Table 2. Com mon patent medicines used as abortifacients

Nam e Intend ed use (ingredients) Dosage/taken with:

Bee-Codeine tablets Headache, rheum atic pain, colds (aspirin , codeine phosphate) 2~, tablets w/local gin

Dr . B on jean' s ab le t s Em men agogu eergot and ferrous sulfate) 1-2 tablets w/water

M & B tablets Headache (sulphthiazole) 2-4 tablets w/water

Andrew 's liver salt 'Fo r inner cleanliness' magnesiumsulfate) I pack et w/Sprite

'Alab uku n' powd er Headache (acetylsalicylic cid) 1-2 packe ts w/water

Menstrogen Irregular menstruation 2 tablets w/water

Panado l Headaches (paracetamol) 4 tablets w/sa lt, water

Phrensic Headache (aspirin) 2 tablets w/P anado l, Sprite

Tetracyclin capsules Antibiotic 4 capsules w/water

Family Planning ta bl e t s Contracep t ivetevonorgestrel) 2 tablets w/water

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486

Elisha P. Renne

Table 3. Women using patent medicineand getting D&C for abortion

Patent Total

Age (n = 300) medicine only* D&C only Both't by age

15 19 (n = 111) 6 8 8 22

20-24 (n = 64) 6 14 3 23

25-29 (n = 33) 3 2 2 7

30-34 (n = 16) I 1 I 3

35-39 (n = 28) -- 5 - - 5

40-44 (n = 21) --- 3 -- 3

45~,9 (n = 27) 1 -- - - I

Total by method 17 33 14 64

Percentage of total women surveyed 5.7% 11.0% 4.6% 21.3%

*Patent medicines include Bee-codeine, Menstrogen, Dr. Bonjean, Tetracyclin and Panadol with

Phrensic.

l'Figure ncludes wo cases n which raditional medicinewas unsuccessfullyused first~ followed by D&C.

personally, who had aborted a pregnancy. For

example, a married 32-year old woman, a secondary

school graduate who worked as a trader, described

one such xllcident:

One of my aun ts used medicine [on an unwanted pregnancy]

without telling her husband.

(Q: How did you know?)

She told me and I was the one who helped her to buy it.

(Q: What did she use?)

She used Bee-codeine and Andrew's Liver Salt.

(Q: After buying these things, how did she take them?)

She bought 7-UP and dissolved the Bee-Codeine and

Andrew's Liver Salt in it and drank them.

(Q: What happened to her then?)

T h e

pregnancy was aborted but it affected her so she went

to the hospital where she was treated very well.

From these descriptions, from in-depth abortion

'histories' of five women, and from quantitative

survey results, a picture emerges regarding who

aborts, how, and why in an Ekiti Yoruba village.

W H O B O R T S N D W H Y

From both the qualitative and survey interviews,

two groups of women were found to be the most

likely candidates for abortions--unmarried school

girls and married women who had outside partners.

The phenomena of adolescent schoolgirls getting

aborti ons is well document ed in West Africa [13-15].

A recent WH O study of maternal mortality estimated

that 60% of the demand for abortion in Nigeria

comes from these women [1] (pp. 17-18). The most

com mon reason for aborting a preg nancy is the desire

to finish school, though their unmarried status is also

a factor.

Another reason, most often given by married

women, is to terminate a pregnancy obviously not for

one's husband. However, some married women have

other reasons for aborting pregnancies mentioned

in the early interviews which included, in order of

frequency cited:

1. The desire for child spacin g--p regn ancy too

soon after earlier childbirth;

2. The husb and not caring for welfare of wife and

children;

3. Th e desire to limit family size; and

4. The desire to remarr y a wealthie r man

('hypergamy strategy').

An example of a 'hypergamy strategy' was given by

an 18-year old secondary school student:

I only heard [of someone using medicine on an unwanted

pregnancy], I didn 't see it. There was a woman who formerly

had a husband whom she had left when she saw another

person who was richer. But she was already pregnant for the

former husband so she aborted the pregnancy and lied to the

husband that she had miscarried. This caused conflict

between them and she later left this man to marry the richer

one. I learned that she used Bee-codeine with alcohol.

The incident happened in Ado-Ekiti.

The above-cited reasons for abortion are similar

to the findings of the later quantitative survey of

300 village women (Table 4). These findings are also

similar to tho se of Bleek's [15] 1973 study o f abort ion

in a rural Akan town in southern Ghana. Like the

Ekiti Yoruba women discussed here, unmarried

schoolgirls and married women having extramarital

affairs were the most likely to abort [15] (p. 338), the

adverse economic and social consequences of bearing

children in these situations given as the reasons their

actions. Akan women often self-aborted, relying on

a range of locally available patent medicines some

of which were also used in Nigeria (e.g. Dr Bon jean's ,

Menstrogen and Ergometrine tablets) as well as

traditional, herbal medicines. Further, in both

societies, traditionally, a child was not considered

a social being until eight days after birth, when

Table 4. Reasons cited for going for D&C for abortion

No. of women

(n = 47) Reason

17

Schooling

Did not want pregnancy at the time

Boyfriend denied or did not want pregnancy

Pregnancy not for husband or fiance

Pregnancy interferes with business, profession

Father unknown

No money to care for child

Had enough children

Parents did not want her to have child

Incestuous relationship

Rape

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P r a c ti c e a n d p e r c e p t i o n o f a b o r t i o n b y Y o r u b a w o m e n

487

' o u t - d o o r i n g ' ( A k a n ) a n d ' n a m i n g ' ( Y o r u b a )

c e r e m o n i e s w e r e p e r f o r m e d . W h i l e t h e s e a t t i t u d e s a r e

c h a n g i n g w i t h W e s t e r n e d u c a t i o n , C h r i s t i a n b e l ie f ,

a n d l o w e r i n f a n t m o r t a l i t y , t h e y s e e m t o h a v e s o m e

i n f lu e n c e o n t h e a t t i t u d e s a b o u t t h e e t h ic s o f a b o r -

t i o n . A b o r t i o n w a s c o n s i d e r e d a c la n d e s t i n e , i m m o r a l

a c t iv i t y y e t i t w a s m o r e o f t e n c o n d e m n e d b e c a u s e i t

t h r e a t e n e d w o m e n ' s l iv e s a n d r e p r o d u c t i v e h e a l t h

r a t h e r t h a n t h a t o f t h e fe t u s. B l ee k a n d A s a n t e - D a r k o

[ 15 ] ( p . 34 1 ) a l s o e m p h a s i z e t h a t w h i l e A k a n s c h o o l -

g i rl s f r e q u e n t l y u s e d m o r a l i s t i c l a n g u a g e t o c o n d e m n

a b o r t i o n , t h e y w e r e th e o n e s w h o m o s t f r e q u e n t l y

p r a c t i c e d i t , f o r p r a c t i c a l r a t h e r t h a n i d e o l o g i c a l

r e a s o n s .

A b o r t i o n h i s t o r i e s : f i v e E k i t i w o m e n

T h e r e a s o n s a n d p r a c t i c a l a c t i o n s E k it i Y o r u b a

v i ll a g e w o m e n t o o k u n d e r s p e ci f ic c i r c u m s t a n c e s

m a y m o r e c l e a rl y b e s ee n i n t h e f o l l o w i n g a b o r t i o n

' h i s to r i e s ' . D e s p i t e t h e s e c r ec y s u r r o u n d i n g a b o r t i o n ,

i t i s d i f f ic u l t t o k e e p t h i s k n o w l e d g e f r o m f a m i l y , c l o s e

f r i e n d s a n d n e i g h b o r s , p a r t i c u l a r l y w h e n t h e r e a r e

c o m p l i c a t i o n s . T h e s e in t e r v i ew s , o b t a i n e d t h r o u g h

a n e t w o r k o f m y c l o se s t w o m e n i n f o r m a n t s i n t h e

v i ll a ge , r e f le c t t h e s e w o m e n ' s e x p e r i e n c e s o f a b o r t i o n ,

e x p r e ss e d in t h e i r o w n w o r d s a s p a r a p h r a s e d f r o m

m y f ie l d n o t e s . W h i l e n o t a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s a m p l i n g ,

t h e r e i s n o t h i n g u n u s u a l a b o u t t h e b a c k g r o u n d o r

e x p e r i e n c e s o f th e s e w o m e n t o s u g g e s t th a t t h e y a r e

a n o m a l o u s .

A b i g a i l :

2 3 y e a rs o l d , c o m p l e t e d s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l ,

s t u d e n t , u n m a r r i e d , t h r e e a b o r t i o n s

Abort ion 1: T h e f i r s t t i m e , t h i s h a p p e n e d w h e n I w a s i n

s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l , c l a s s 3 ; I w a s 1 5 y e a r s o l d . I d i d n ' t k n o w

t h a t I w a s p r e g n a n t b u t w a s t h i n a n d s i c k ( v o m i t in g ) so m y

p a r e n t s t o o k m e t o a n e a r b y c l i n i c . T h e d o c t o r t e s t e d a n d

c o n f i r m e d t h a t I w a s p r e g n a n t . M y p a r e n t s s a i d t h a t s i n c e

I w a s a s t i l l a s t u d e n t t h a t I s h o u l d a b o r t i t s o t h e d o c t o r

c h a r g e d N 7 5 ( h e w a s t a l k e d d o w n f r o m N 1 5 0 ) . S o h e d i d a

D & C ( I w a s t w o m o n t h s p r e g n a n t a t t h e t i m e ) . A f t e r t h a t

h e g a v e m e s o m e d r u g s t o u s e , l i k e a m p i c i l l i n , a l s o s o m e

o t h e r m e d i c i n e . M y p a r e n t s d i d n ' t w a n t m e t o m a r r y m y

b o y f r i e n d a n d I d i d n ' t t e ll h i m t h a t I w a s p r e g n a n t a n d h a d

a b o r t e d . s p e n t o n e d a y a t t h e c l in i c a n d m y m o t h e r p a i d

f o r t h e a b o r t i o n .

Abort ion 2:

T h r e e y e a r s l a t e r w h e n I w a s c o m p l e t i n g

s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l , I w a s w o r r i e d w h e n I d i d n ' t s e e m y

m e n s e s . I w e n t t o a d o c t o r w h o t e s t e d m e a n d t o l d m e t o

w a i t s i x d a y s , t o s e e i f t h e p r e g n a n c y w a s s t r o n g . B u t a s i t

d i d n ' t c o m e d o w n o n i t s o w n , I w e n t b a c k a f t e r t e l li n g m y

b o y f r i e n d t h a t I h a d n ' t m e n s t r u a t e d , s o w e w e n t t o g e t h e r

t o l e t t h e d o c t o r k n o w t h a t t h e c h i l d w a s s t i l l t h e r e . M y

b o y f r i e n d w a n t e d m e t o k e e p t h e p r e g n a n c y b u t I r e f u s e d

b e c a u s e I w a s s t i ll s c h o o l in g . A f t e r t h e a b o r t i o n I w a s g i v e n

a m p i c i l l i n a n d S e p t r i n . M y b o y f r i e n d p a i d t h e N 3 0 f o r t h e

a b o r t i o n .

Abort ion 3:

I n 1 99 1, w h e n a w a i t i n g e n t r a n c e i n t o u n i v e r s i t y ,

I b e c a m e p r e g n a n t b y o n e b o y f r i e n d w h o m I l a t e r d e c i d e d

n o t t o m a r r y i n f a v o r o f a n o t h e r . S i n c e I d i d n o t w a n t m y

c h o s e n f i a n c e t o k n o w o f t h e p r e g n a n c y , I d e c i d e d t o a b o r t

i t . I f i r s t u s e d ( 3 ) B e e - c o d e i n e t a b l e t s , A n d r e w ' s L i v e r S a l t ,

a n d S p r i t e , m i x i n g t h e m t o g e t h e r a n d t h e n d r i n k i n g t h e m .

W h e n t h i s d i d n o t w o r k , I w e n t t o a c li n i c i n a n e i g h b o r i n g

t o w n f o r D & C T h e a b o r t i o n c o s t N 8 0 a n d w a s p a id f o r b y

m y b o y f r i e n d . T h e r e w e r e n o a f t e r e f f e c t s .

B u k k y : 3 0 y e a r s o ld , c o m p l e t e d s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l ,

t r a d e r , m a r r i e d , t h r e e a b o r t i o n s .

Abor t i on

l l h a d m y f i r st a b o r t i o n i n 1 9 8 0 . I h a d n o t

m a r r i e d t h e n a n d a s I w a s a s t u d e n t , I d i d n ' t w a n t t o k e e p

t h e p r e g n a n c y . M y b o y f r i e n d k n e w a n d s a i d t h a t h e w a n t e d

m e t o k e e p i t b u t s i n c e I w a s a s t u d e n t I d e c i d e d t o a b o r t

i t. T h e r e w a s a m a n w h o h a d a c l i n ic i n t h e v i ll a g e [ w h o h a s

s i n c e d i e d ] w h o d i d a D & C f o r N S 0 - - I p a i d f o r i t . 1 w a s u p

t o t h r e e m o n t h s p r e g n a n t . A f t e r w a r d s I h a d s t o m a c h p a i n s

a n d t o o k B e e - c o d e i n e ( t o m a k e t h e b l o o d c o m e o u t w e l l )

a n d S e p t r i n .

Abortion 2.

T i l e n e x t y e a r I g o t p r e g n a n t a g a i n a n d b y t h e

f o u r t h m o n t h , I w e n t t o a babalawo ( d i v i n e r ) i n t h e v i l l a g e .

H e m a d e m e d i c i n e w h i c h h e w r a p p e d a n d t o l d m e t o p u t i n

m y v a g i n a . A f t e r i n s e r t i n g i t, i t s e e m e d a s i f I w a n t e d t o g i v e

b i r t h i m m e d i a t e l y a n d l f e l t v e r y h o t . I l e f t t h e m e d i c i n e

i n s i d e f o r t w o d a y s , a f t e r t h a t t h e t h i n g c a m e d o w n . I f e l t

w e a k a n d h a d s t o m a c h p a i n s o I t o o k B o u r n v i t a [ a c h o c o -

l a t e d r in k m i x ] t o s e t t l e m y s t o m a c h . I d i d n ' t g o t o t h e

h o s p i t a l .

Abortion 3. I n m y f i n a l y e ar o f s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l , I b e c a m e

p r e g n a n t a g a i n . I d i d n ' t t e l l m y f i a n c e a t f i rs t , b u t w h e n 1

w a s t h r e e m o n t h s p r e g n a n t I t o l d h i m . S i n c e I w a s i n s c h o o l ,

h e t o ld m e t h a t I s h o u l d n ' t k e e p t h e p r e g n a n c y . H e t o o k m e

t o a d o c t o r f o r a D & C b u t b e c a u s e h e c o n f i r m e d t h a t I w a s

c a r r y i n g t w i n s t h e d o c t o r r e f u s e d t o d o i t .

W h e n I g o t b a c k t o t h e v il l ag e , I t o o k B e e - C o d e i n e

( 4 t a b l e t s ) a n d D r . B o n j e a n t a b l e t s t o g e t h e r . I s t a r t i n g

b l e e d i n g a n d w a n t e d t o d i e . T h e n I f a i n t e d . M y m o t h e r , w h o

d i d n ' t k n o w w h a t I h a d t a k e n , r u s h e d m e t o a h o s p i t a l in

a n e a r b y t o w n .

T h e d o c t o r g a v e m e a n i n j e c t io n a n d d i d a D & C .

M y m o t h e r p a i d N 3 5 0 f o r t h e a b o r t i o n a n d m e d i c a t i o n .

I c o n t i n u e d t o g o t o t h e c l i n i c f o r f o u r w e e k s a f t e r w a r d s t o

g e t i n j e c t i o n s .

C a r o l i n e :

2 8 y e a r s o ld , c o m p l e t e d s e c o n d a r y

s c h o o l , h a ir d r e s s e r , m a r r i e d , t w o a b o r t i o n s .

Abor t i on 1 : I w a s a b o u t 2 1 y e a r s o l d a t t h e t i m e ( 1 9 8 2 ) .

I k n e w I w a s p r e g n a n t b u t d i d n ' t k n o w I w a s c a r r y i n g t w i n s .

I u s e d t r a d i t i o n a l m e d i c i n e w h i c h c o n s i s t e d o f s u b s t a n c e s

( I d i d n ' t k n o w w h a t ) t h a t w e r e m o l d e d t o g e t h e r b y a m a l e

h e r b a l i s t i n l _, ag o s. 1 t h e n p u t t h e m e d i c i n e i n m y v a g i n a .

I w a s a s t u d e n t t h e n a n d h a d n o t m a r r i e d . I t o l d m y

b o y f r i e n d w h o a s k e d m e n o t t o d o i t . I p a i d N 3 0 f o r t h e

m e d i c in e w i th m y o w n m o n e y . T h e m e d i c in e d i d n ' t w o r k

a f t e r t h re e o r f o u r m o n t h s s o a f t e r f o u r m o n t h s I w e n t b a c k

t o t h e h e r b a l i s t f o r a n o t h e r t y p e , p a y i n g t h e N I 5 m y s e l f .

I m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r I u s e d t h e d r u g , I s t a r t e d b l e e d i n g . T h e

b l o o d t h a t c a m e d o w n w a s u p t o a g a l l o n . T h e r e w a s a l s o

s o m e t h i n g t h a t c a m e d o w n t h a t w a s b i g li k e a f is t. S o

l t h o u g h t t h a t t h e p r e g n a n c y h a d c o m e d o w n . B u t t h e n

1 c o n t r a c t e d p n e u m o n i a a n d w a s r u s h e d t o a p r i v a t e c li n i c

( i n L a g o s ) w h e r e i t w a s c o n f i r m e d t h a t I w a s s t i ll p r e g n a n t

w i t h t w o c h i l d r e n i n s i d e . M y m o t h e r p a i d u p t o N 2 0 0 f o r

m e d i c i n e a n d t r e a t m e n t . T h e y g a v e m e B e e - C o d e i n e . I g a v e

b i r t h t o t w i n s , t h e f ir s t w a s v e r y s t r o n g a n d b i g , th e s e c o n d

w a s v e r y s m a l l , c o u l d n ' t c r y a n d d i e d a l m o s t i m m e d i a t e l y .

Abor t i on 2 .' I h a d m a r r i e d b y t h e n b u t m y h u s b a n d a n d I l iv e

i n d i f fe r e n t to w n s . I n 1 99 1, I b e c a m e p r e g n a n t b y m y

b o y f r i e n d s o I d e c i d e d t o a b o r t i t . I w e n t t o a m a t e r n i t y

c l in i c a t a n e a r b y t o w n f o r a D & C , w h i c h c o s t N 5 0 f o r a t w o

m o n t h p r e g n a n c y . A f t e r f i v e d a y s , I s a w b l o o d s o I w e n t

b a c k t o t h e d o c t o r a n d h e g a v e m e m e d i c i ne " t o w a s h o u t

t h e r e m a i n i n g t h i n g " ( h e g a v e m e S e p t r i n ) . T h e r e w a s n o

p r o b l e m a f t e r t h a t .

SS 42/~ B

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488 Elisha P. Ren ne

I decided to abor t because the pregnancy was not for my

husband and since he was away, he would real ize this. He

doesn ' t know that I was pregnant or that I had an abor t ion,

though my boyfr iend did because he paid for i t .

Deborah:

3 0 y e a r s o l d , c o m p l e t e d s e c o n d a r y

s c h o o l , t ra d e r , m a r r i e d , o n e a b o r t i o n .

Abortion

1. I am marr ied wi th two chi ldren, the youngest

being four years old. When I real ized I was pregnant (after

two months), I took four Bee-codeine tablets with

agogoro

(nat ive gin) . Soon af ter I had s tomach pain and then two

days later, there was bleeding and the pregnancy came

down. Except for the s tomach ache, there were no other

effects and I didn't go to a cl inic for D&C.

The reason I decided to abor t the pregnancy which was

f rom my husband was that he was unemployed and we did

not have m oney to care for the chi ld . H e didn ' t k now I was

pregnant and he didn ' t know that I abor ted.

Esther:

3 3 y e a r s o l d , c o m p l e t e d s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l ,

t r a d e r , m a r r i e d , o n e a b o r t i o n .

Abortion 1:

When I real ized that I was pregnant after a

month in early 1991, I went to a diviner

babalawo)

in

a nearby vil lage. He gave me medicine which I inserted in

my vagina. By the thi rd month, when the pregnancy didn ' t

com e down, I went to a c l inic in a nearby tow n for a D& C.

My boyfr iend paid N65 for procedure . Af terwards , there

was som e bleeding so 1 re turned to the c l inic and was given

addi t ional medicat ion.

I decided to abort the pregnancy because i t belonged to

my boyfr iend, not to my husband. I d id not l e t my husband

know about i t .

Analysis o f abortion histories

T h e s e f i v e h i s t o r i e s d i s p l a y c e r t a i n s i m i l a r i ti e s ,

r e l a t i n g t o r e a s o n s f o r a b o r t i o n , w h o p a y s , t y p e o f

a b o r t i o n c h o i c e a n d p r e f e r r e d t i m e f o r a b o r t i o n .

I n t h e i n s t a n c es i n v o l v i n g w o m e n - s t u d e n t s ,

p a r e n t s , p a r t i c u l a r l y m o t h e r s , g e t ( o r a r e f o r c e d t o

g e t ) i n v o l v e d , b o t h i n t r e a t m e n t a n d p a y m e n t . W h i l e

t h e s e w o m e n a s st u d e n t s g e n e r a l l y a t t e m p t e d t o a b o r t

w i t h l o c a l l y a v a i l a b l e m e d i c i n e s ( e i t h e r t r a d i t i o n a l o r

' p a t e n t ' t y p e s ) , i n c a s e s w h e r e t h e r e w e r e c o m p l i -

c a t i o n s m o t h e r s s u p p o r t e d t h e i r d a u g h t e r s . A l s o in

t h e i n s t a n c e s o f t h e fi rs t tw o w o m e n , b o y f r i e n d s p a i d

f o r t h e se a b o r t i o n s , e v e n w h i l e t h e y w a n t e d t h e

w o m e n t o k e e p t h e p re g n a n c i e s . B u k k y ' s e x p e r i e n c e

i s a p a r t i c u l a r ly p o i g n a n t e x a m p l e o f t h e d e s p e r a t e

l e n g t h s ( I w a n t e d t o d i e ) w o m e n w i ll g o t o w h e n

t h e y h a v e a n u n w a n t e d p r e g n a n c y , d e s p i t e t h e a d v i c e

o f a n a u t h o r i t y a n d t h e l a te n e s s o f th e p r e g n a n c y .

F u r t h e r , w h i l e t h e s e w o m e n s o m e t i m e s p a i d f o r

p a t e n t a n d t r a d i t i o n a l a b o r t i f a c ie n t s , i n a ll b u t o n e

c a s e , D & C p r o c e d u r e s w e r e p a i d f o r b y s o m e o n e e l se .

T h i s f a c t s u g g e s t s t h a t e c o n o m i c s a n d a c c e s s p l a y

a l a rg e p a r t i n t h e t y p e s o f a b o r t i f a c i e n t s w o m e n

c h o o s e. F o r e x am p l e , D e b o r a h , w h o a b o r t e d h e r

p r e g n a n c y b e c a u s e o f e c o n o m i c p r o b l e m s , a l so p r e -

f e r r e d t o u s e p a t e n t m e d i c i n e s b e c a u s e t h e y e a s i l y

c o u l d b e o b t a i n e d l o c a ll y , w i t h o u t a r o u s i n g s u s p i c io n

a n d w i t h o u t h e r h u s b a n d ' s k n o w l e d g e . S h e p a i d N 7

( U . S . $ 0 .4 6 , i n e a r l y 1 99 2) f o r h e r a b o r t i o n u s i n g f o u r

B e e - c o d e i n e t a b l e t s a n d a l c o h o l w h i l e C a r o l i n e p a i d

N 3 0 ( U . S . $ 2 . 0 0 ) f o r a t r a d i t i o n a l m e d i c i n e s u p p o s i -

t o r y . T h e c o s t o f a c li n ic D & C v a r i e d f r o m N 3 0 - 8 0

( U . S . $ 2 .0 0 - 5 . 3 0 ) f o r a n a b o r t i o n a t o n e m o n t h w i t h

n o c o m p l i c a t i o n s t o o v e r N 3 0 0 ( $ 2 0 .0 0 ) f o r a b o r t i o n s

a f t e r w i t h t h i r d m o n t h w i t h c o m p l i c a t i o n s .

P a r t i c u l a r l y w h e n a b o y f r i e n d , w h o m a y o r m a y

n o t w a n t t h e p r e g n a n c y t o g o t o t e r m h i m s e l f , i s

i n v o l v e d a n d i s p a y i n g , t h e r e s e e m s t o b e a p r e f e r e n c e

f o r D & C . T h i s p r e f e r e n c e is u n d e r s t a n d a b l e c o n s i d e r -

i n g t h e s e w o m e n ' s v a r i a b l e s u c c e s s w i t h t r a d i t i o n a l

a n d ' p a t e n t ' m e d i c i n e s u s e d a s a b o r t i f a c i e n t s .

N o n e t h e l e s s , s o m e r i sk i s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h g e t t i n g a

D & C a s d e s c r i b e d b y a 2 5 - y e a r o l d h a i r d r e s s e r :

Under per fect condi t ions , there are no i l l e f fect s but there

was one case of a l ady who didn ' t have pat ience when the

operat ion was being car r ied out . Par t o f her wom b was

affected and she cannot give birth to children again.

A l l w o m e n b u t o n e i n i ti a ll y a t t e m p t e d t o a b o r t

b e f o r e t h e t h i rd m o n t h o f p r e g n a n c y . P r e s u m a b l y ,

t h i s c a n b e e x p l a i n e d i n p a r t b y t h e i r d e s i r e t o c o n c e a l

t h e i r p r e g n a n c y w h i c h w o u l d b e d i f f i c u l t t o d o i n

l a t e r s t a g e s . H o w e v e r , t h i s p r a c t i c e a l s o r e l a t e s t o t h e

i d e a t h a t a p r e g n a n c y i s f r a g i l e e a r l y o n , w h i c h a

c o m b i n a t i o n o f p a t e n t d r u g s , a l c o h o l a n d e f f er v e s c e n t

d r i n k c a n m o r e e a s il y s h a k e d o w n [1 6]. H e n c e t h e

d o c t o r ' s a d v i c e in t h e c a s e o f A b i g a i l t h a t s h e w a i t s ix

d a y s t o se e i f t h e p r e g n a n c y w a s s t r o n g b e f o r e

p e r f o r m i n g a D & C .

F u r t h e r , t h e r e is a p r e f e r e n c e f o r e a rl y a b o r t i o n f o r

t h e s a k e o f t h e w o m a n ' s h e a l th . A c c o r d i n g t o o n e

2 5 - y e a r o l d w o m a n w i t h a p r i m a r y s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n :

I f the pregnancy was very la te before the abor t ion was

condu c t ed - - t h r ee , f ou r , o r mor e mont h s - - i t cou l d be com-

plicated. I t can lead to stomach pain or i t can lead to

bleeding. If such bleeding is excessive, i t can lead to death.

T h e p r e f e r e n c e f o r e a r l y a b o r t i o n i s a l s o r e l a t e d t o

i d e a s a b o u t t h e s ta g e s o f p r e g n a n c y d e v e l o p m e n t

i ts e lf . W h e t h e r o n e o p t s f o r a n a b o r t i o n d e p e n d s , t o

s o m e e x t e n t , o n t h e d e f i n i ti o n o f w h e n t h e l i fe o f a

c h i l d b e g i n s .

B O R T I O N IN RELATION TO IDEAS B O U T P R E G N N C Y

DEVELOPM ENT, INFERTILITY AND CONCEPTION

I n E k i t i v i l l a g e s , t h e r e l i a n c e o n a b o r t i o n a s a f o r m

o f b i r th c o n t r o l h a s a b a s i s in e c o n o m i c , t e c h n o l o g i c a l

a n d p h y s i o l o g i c a l f a c to r s . Y e t t h e r e a r e o t h e r a s p e c t s

r e l a t i n g t o t r a d i t i o n a l i d e a s a b o u t p r e g n a n c y , f e r t il i t y

a n d t h e r o l e o f w o m e n a n d m e n i n c o n c e p t io n w h i c h

h e l p t o e x p l a i n t h e a c c e p t a b i l i t y o f th i s p r a c t i c e ,

r e l a ti v e to o t h e r f o r m s o f b ir t h c o n t r o l . I n p a r t i c u l a r ,

i n d i g e n o u s i d e a s a b o u t w h e n , i n t h e c o u r s e o f a

p r e g n a n c y , t h e ' r e a l c h i l d ' is f o r m e d a n d a c h i l d ' s li f e

b e g i n s i n f l u e n c e a t t i t u d e s a b o u t t h e e t h i c s a n d

e f fi c ac y o f ' k e e p i n g a p r e g n a n c y f r o m s t a y i n g '.

Perceptions of fet al development

I t is n o t s i m p l y t h e f r a g i l i t y o f e a r l y p r e g n a n c i e s

a n d t h e h e a l t h o f t h e p r e g n a n t w o m a n w h i c h in f l u-

e n c e w o m e n ' s p r e f e r e n c e f o r e a r l y a b o r t i o n . T h e

b e l i e f h e l d b y s o m e t h a t t h e ' r e a l c h i l d ' is f o r m e d

7/24/2019 Renne 1996


Pract ice and percept ion of abor t ion by Yo ruba wom en 489

s o m e t i m e a f t e r th e f o u r t h m o n t h o f p r e g n a n c y a l so

a f fe c t s t h e i r b e h a v i o r . T h e f o l l o w i n g t h r e e v e r s i o n s

o f p r e n a t a l d e v e l o p m e n t , w h i l e d if f e r in g in s o m e

d e t a i l s , a l l d e s c r i b e a l i z a r d - l i k e b e i n g t a k i n g o n t h e

a p p e a r a n c e o f a c h i ld a r o u n d t h e f i ft h m o n t h o f

p r e g n a n c y .

Version 1.

Two months af ter concept ion, something l ike a l i zard wi th

a tai l wil l be formed. When i t is four months old, i t wil l be

something l ike an amoeba, shapeless. (This is why i t is

d i f f i cul t to t e rminate a pregnancy in the four th month . )

Af ter four mon ths , 1 week, the real child will be formed,

having the head bigger than the res t of the body. The rea l

child wil l grow and i ts size wil l be equally distr ibuted when

ready to be born. The child wil l also be kicking then. When

i t is abou t e ight m onths , three weeks, the chi ld wi ll jus t com e

very near the wom b. Du r ing the d ay the m other w i ll jus t see

water an d have a genera l weakness of the body. She wi l l go

to the hospital or get help to del iver. During the del ivery,

the child wil l come out f i rst , fol lowed by the placenta [my

ital ics] (Teac her, social ' diviner, man , abo ut 50 years).

Version 2

In the f irst and second m onths , i t wil l be water . By the third

month, i t becomes sol id and jus t looks l ike b lood. By the

fourth month, i t wil l look l ike a l izard. By the f if th month,

i t has arms, hands , and eyes and by the s ix th month , there

wi l l be cer ta in movements in the s tomach which wi l l con-

t inue . Th is developm ent cont inues unt i l the chi ld com es out

(Tradi t ional d iviner , man, about 75 years ) .

Version 3

The blood in the s tomach wi l l be in the form of a chi ld , i t

wil l be the f irst month child. When i t is the second month,

the red color b ecom e whi ti sh . The th i rd m onth , i t wil l be in

the form o f a l izard (dur ing th i s t ime i t has no color and the

head wi l l be in the form of a monkey and people wi l l not

l ike how i t i s formed) . In the four th mon th , i t wil l be in the

form o f watery blood and semen. In the f if th m onth , the

thing wi l l be shaking the woman's body, moving up and

down in the s tomach and making s tomach pains (but i t i sn ' t

s toma ch pain , i t is jus t the m oving around) . At th i s t ime, the

tai l wil l disappear. In the sixth and seventh months, the

thing wi ll be shaking very well . But in the e ighth mon th, i t

can't shake, i t doesn't have power again. I t wil l be rest ing

and i t ' s not goo d to abo r t dur ing th i s time. I f someo ne

aborts during this period, the person wil l die. I t wil l take al l

her b lood so she wi ll d ie. W hen nine months , i t wil l be s t rong

again . I t wi l l turn the head down and shake the body very

wel l in order to have the chance to come down (Tradi t ional

diviner , woman, about 40 years ) .

T h e l a s t v e r s i o n i s i n s t r u c t i v e a s i t s u g g e s t s t h a t

i t is

n o t

g o o d t o a b o r t s o l at e i n a p r e g n a n c y

b e c a u s e o f e x c e s s i v e b l e e d i n g w h i c h w i l l l e a d t o

t h e d e a t h o f t h e w o m a n . S h e m a y a l s o b e s u g g e s t in g

t h a t i t i s n o t g o o d i n a m o r a l s e n s e t o a b o r t s o l a t e

a s t h e p r e g n a n c y h a s c l e a r l y b e c o m e a c h i l d b y t h i s

t i m e .

T h e a m b i g u o u s m o r a l i t y o f l a te a b o r t i o n w a s a l s o

i m p l i e d b y t h e ' s o c i a l '

b a b a l a w o

m e n t i o n e d a b o v e .

H e s a i d t h a t h e c o u l d n o t t e ll m e a b o u t a b o r t i o n s

p e r f o r m e d i n th e e i g h t h m o n t h b e c a u s e o n l y

w i t c h e s a n d w i z a r d s - - i m m o r a l , a n t i - s o c i a l c r e a t u r e s

b y d e f i n i t io n - - - c o u l d k n o w a b o u t s u c h t h i n g s.

H e i n t im a t e d t h a t s u p e r n a t u r a l i n t e r v e n t i o n w a s

i n v o l v e d i n su c h c a s e s i n a d d i t i o n t o m e d i c i n e s s o

p o w e r f u l ( a n d d e a d l y ) t h a t h e c o u l d n o t r e v e a l t h e m

e x c e p t to s a y th e y i n c l u d e d p a r t o f a h u m a n b o d y .

H o w e v e r , t h e s a m e m a n a n d o t h e r t r a d i t i o n a l h e a l e r s

g a v e m e s e v e r a l r e c i p e s f o r t r a d i t i o n a l m e d i c i n e s ' t o

k e e p p r e g n a n c i e s f r o m s t a y i n g ' t o b e t a k e n a f t e r

i n t e r c o u r s e o r s h o r t l y a f t e r a w o m a n d i s c o v e r s s h e i s

p r e g n a n t ( s e e A p p e n d i x ) . I n t h e s e ca s e s, n o o v e r t o n e s

o f i m m o r a l i t y w e r e e v i d e n t a s t h e p r e g n a n c y d u r i n g

t h i s p e r i o d w a s m e r e l y b l o o d , w a t e r , o r a l i z a r d - l i k e

c r e a t u r e [ 17 ] ( p . 124 ), bu t n o t t he ' r e a l c h i l d ' .

N o t e v e r y o n e h a d c l e a r i d e a s a b o u t f e t al d e v e l o p -

m e n t a n d f u r t h e r m o r e , t h e r e w a s c o n s i d e r a b l e v a r i -

a t i o n a s t o w h e n p e o p l e b e l i e v e d t h a t a c h i l d w a s

a l i v e . S o m e s a i d i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r i n t e r c o u r s e , s o m e

s a i d a f t e r f o u r m o n t h s , a n d o t h e r s s a i d a f t e r b i r th .

T h e s e d i f f e r e n t b e l i e f s a f f e c t p e o p l e ' s a t t i t u d e s a b o u t

t h e m o r a l it y o f a b o r t i o n t h o u g h t h e y d o n o t a l w a y s

d e t e r m i n e t h e i r a c t i o n s .

I deas about in fer t i l i t y

I f t r a d i t i o n a l d i v i n e r s a n d h e a l e r s m a k e m e d i c i n e s

t h a t ' k e e p a p r e g n a n c y f r o m s t a y i n g ' , t h e y a l s o h a v e

m e d i c i n e s w h i c h h e l p w o m e n t o b e c o m e p r e g n a n t .

O n e g r o u p o f s u c h m e d i c i n e s i s r e f e r r e d t o a s oogun

f i f o n u ,

' m e d i c i n e t a k e n w h i c h w a s h e s ( c l e a n s) t h e

i n s id e ( w o m b ) ' . H o w e v e r , g o i n g t o a c li n i c f o r a D & C

i s a l s o r e f e r r e d t o a s

J onu ,

' w a s h i n g t h e w o m b ' . B y

c o n s i d e r i n g t h e i d e a s b e h i n d t h e u s e o f th e s e m e d i -

c i n e s w h i c h ' w a s h t h e w o m b ' , c o u n t e r i n g i n f e r t i l i t y ,

o n e g e t s a b e t te r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f w h y a b o r t i n g b y

D & C m i g h t b e v i e w e d a s a c o r r e c t i v e a c t i o n a n d

h e n c e , a s a n a c c e p t a b l e f o r m o f b i r th c o n t r o l .

' W a s h i n g t h e w o m b ' o r l i t e r a l l y i n s i d e s ( inu)

a n d r e m o v i n g i m p u r i t ie s a n d ' d i r t '

( ido t i )

r e l a t e s t o

t r a d i t i o n a l i d e a s a b o u t a l l e v i a t i n g in f e r t i li t y . C e r t a i n

t y p e s o f i n f e r t i l i t y , b e l i e v e d t o b e c a u s e d b y a n

' e x c e s s ' o f s e x , f o o d , a n d w o r m s w i t h i n t h e b o d y [ 1 8]

( p . 5 0 ) m a y b e t r e a t e d b y m e d i c i n e s , r e f e r r e d t o a s

o og un a m ' u n u t u n t u n - - ' m e d i c i n e s

w h i c h m a k e t h e

i n s i d e n e w ' . S u c h t r e a t m e n t s c a u s e d i s e a s e , w o r m s o r

d i r t t o b e e x p e l l e d ( i n u r i n e , f e c e s o r m e n s e s ) t h u s

r e s t o r i n g t h e b o d y t o i t s o r i g i n a l h e a l t h y s t a t e .

A c c o r d i n g t o o n e v i l l a g e babalawo, m a n y t h i n g s

m a y c a u s e d i r t

( i d o t i ) - - m e a n t

h e r e i n t h e s e n s e o f

a s u b s ta n c e o u t o f p l a c e - - t o a c c u m u l a t e i n s i d e a

w o m a n w h i c h w il l p r e v e n t p r e g n a n c y . T h e s e t h i n g s

i n c l u d e j e d i j e d i

( a d is e a s e c a u s e d b y e a t in g t o o m a n y

s w e e t t h i n g s h a t y p e o f w o r m ( k o k o r o ) i n t h e s t o m a c h

k n o w n a s

oginisa,

a n d e a t i n g t h i n g s b a d f o r t h e b o d y .

B y d r i n k i n g a c u p o f oogun a m ' unu tun tun , a w o m a n

w i l l e l i m i n a t e t h e d i r t

( ido t i ) ,

i n c l u d i n g w o r m s a n d

g e r m s , i n h e r u r i n e . I n d e e d , i t i s s a i d t h a t a w o m a n

w h o h a s r e c e n t l y g i v e n b i r t h c a n u s e th i s m e d i c i n e

t w o o r t h r e e w e e k s a f t e r d e l iv e r y a n d i m m e d i a t e l y

a f t e r s h e u s e s i t s h e m a y b e c o m e p r e g n a n t .

T h e f a c t t h a t w o m e n o f t e n r e f e r t o t h e p r o c e s s o f

g o i n g t o t h e h o s p i ta l f o r a D & C i n t h e s a m e w a y , a s

' w a s h i n g t h e w o m b ' ( f o inu) , i s i n s t r u c t i v e r e g a r d i n g

w o m e n ' s a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d a b o r t i o n . I t is p o s s i b le

7/24/2019 Renne 1996



t h a t t h e a r t i f i c ia l l y - in d u c e d p a s s i n g o f b l o o d f r o m

t h e v a g i n a m a y h a v e b e e n i n t e r p r e t e d a s ' c le a n i n g

t h e i n s i d e ' . F u r t h e r , s o m e w o m e n w e r e r e f e r r e d b y

d o c t o r s f o r D & C a t c l in i c s a f t e r m i s c a r r ia g e t o ' c l e a n

t h e w o m b ' . O f th e 71 w o m e n w h o w e n t f o r D & C i n

t h e s u r v e y o f 3 0 0 w o m e n , 3 3 . 8 % ( n = 24 ) r e p o r t e d

t h e y w e n t b e c a u s e o f m i s c a r r i a g e . I n t h e l a t t e r c a s e ,

D & C , l i k e

p o n u

m e d i c i n e , i s c l e a r l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h

e n h a n c i n g f e r t i l i t y .

Y e t t h e r e m a y b e s o m e t h i n g m o r e t o t h e u s e o f t h e

p h r a s e ,

p o n u ,

w h e n d e s c r i b i n g g o i n g f o r a D & C .

W h i l e t h e b a b a l a w o m e n t i o n e d a b o v e c l e a r l y d i s t i n -

g u i s h e d h i s o w n t r a d i t i o n a l a b o r t i f a c i e n t s

(oogun

b a j e - - ' s p o i l m e d i c i n e ' ) f ro m m e d i c i n e w h i c h m a k e s

t h e i n s i d e s n e w

(o o gu n a m 'u n u tu n tu n ) ,

t h e r e w a s

s o m e o v e r l a p o f t h e i n g r e d i e n t s o f t h e s e m e d i c i n e s.

F o r e x a m p l e , t h e i n g r e d i e n t s o f o n e t y p e o f

oogun

b a je

m e d i c i n e u s ed t o b r i n g a p r e g n a n c y d o w n b y o n e

b a b a la wo

w e r e i d e n t i c a l w i t h t h e

j ' o n u

m e d i c i n e f o r

c l e a n i n g t h e u t e r u s p r e s c r i b e d b y a n o t h e r . S i m i l a rl y ,

B l e ek w a s t o l d t h a t A k a n h e r b a l i s ts t r a d i t i o n a l l y u s e d

m e d i c i n e s t o c l e a n s e t h e u t e r u s a f t e r c h i l d b i r t h o r

m i s c a r r i a g e w h i c h w e r e l a t e r u s e d a s a b o r t i f a c i e n t s

[19] (p. 115).

I t i s n o t s u r p r i s i n g , t h e n , t h a t g e t t i n g a n a b o r t i o n

b y D & C h a s b e e n a s s o c i a t e d i n o t h e r w a y s w i t h t h e

m o r e b e n e f ic i a l a s p e ct s o f ' m e d i c i n e s w h i c h c l e a n

t h e w o m b ' . L i k e t h e s u b s t a n c e s ( i d o t i ) p r e v e n t i n g a

v i a b l e p r e g n a n c y w h i c h a r e e l i m i n a t e d t h r o u g h t h e

u s e o f

o o g u n f i f ' o n u ,

a n u n w a n t e d p r e g n a n c y i s l ik e

d i r t i n t h e b o d y , a s u b s t a n c e ( i n th i s c a s e , p r e g n a n c y )

o u t o f ( s o c i a l ) p l a c e . I n t h i s s e n s e a s w e l l , g o i n g

f o r a D & C t o ' w a s h t h e w o m b ' m a y b e a s s o c i a t e d

b y s o m e w i t h t r a d i t i o n a l i d e a s a b o u t f e r ti l it y a n d

r e n e w a l .

Id e a s a b o u t c o n c e p t io n

F i n a l l y , t r a d i t i o n a l i d e a s a b o u t c o n c e p t i o n m a y

c o n t r i b u t e t o w o m e n ' s s e n s e t h a t e a r l y a b o r t i o n i s

n o w o r s e e t h i c a l l y - sp e a k i n g th a n o t h e r f o r m s o f

b i r t h c o n t r o l w h i c h a ll c o m e u n d e r a m o r a l s h a d o w

t o s o m e e x t e n t a s t r a d i t i o n a l l y , a m a r r i e d w o m a n

o f c h i l d - b e a r i n g a g e s h o u l d e i t h e r b e p r e g n a n t o r

a b s t a i n i n g f r o m s ex a l to g e t h e r . T h e f o l l o w i n g tw o

v e r s i o n s w e r e g i v e n b y t h e ' s o c i a l '

b a b a l a w o

a n d t h e

w o m a n d i v i n e r

( i y a l a w o )

q u o t e d e a r l i e r , r e f l e c t i n g

d u o - g e n e t i c m o d e l s o f c o n c e p t i o n .

Version 1

Wh en the male and female meet, bo th o f them p roduce eggs

which start ea ting each other as food. The last one, if i t

belongs to the female, then the pregnancy will result in a

female child, while if i t is a ma le egg, it will be a m ale child

(Teacher, 'social ' diviner, man, about 50 years).

Ve rs io n 2

Wh en i t i s the t ime of m ens trua t ion , the chi ld wil l be in the

left or right hand side of the stomach, the blood will s tay

on the left or right also. So when it is a month, the menses

blood and the semen [will mix] (Tradi t ional d iviner , wom an,

abou t 40 years ) .

T h e s e t w o v e r s i o n s a g r e e w i t h B u c k l e y ' s f i n d i n g s ,

t h a t , A l l t h e h e r b a l i s t s I s p o k e t o a g r e e d t h a t a c h i l d

c o n c ei v ed i n t h e w o m b

( i le o m o )

i s t h e u n i o n o f b l o o d

( e j e )

o f m e n s t r u a t i o n

(a se )

a n d s e m e n

( a t o )

[18]

(p. 55, 56).

S i n c e it i s g e n e r a l l y b e li e v e d th a t w o m e n c o n t r i b u t e

e q u a l l y t o t h e f o r m a t i o n o f a c h i l d , i t m a y b e t h a t

s o m e w o m e n a l s o b e l ie v e t h a t t h e y h a v e a c e r t a i n

r i g h t in d e c i d i n g w h e t h e r t o t e r m i n a t e a p r e g n a n c y .

T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l e x a m p l e s i n t h e a b o r t i o n h i s t o r i e s

o f w o m e n t e r m i n a t i n g p r e g n a n c i e s w i t h o u t t h e a g re e -

m e n t o r k n o w l e d g e o f m e n . F o r e x a m p l e , in t h r e e

i n s t a n c e s w h e n b o y f r i e n d s w a n t e d p r e g n a n c i e s t o g o

t o t e r m , t h e w o m e n i n v o l v e d i n si s te d o n a n a b o r t i o n .

A n d , i n th e c as e o f t he m a r r i e d w o m a n w h o a b o r t e d

b e c a u s e o f f i n a n c i a l d if f ic u l t ie s , s h e t o o k r e s p o n s i b i l -

i t y f o r t h i s d e c i si o n w i t h o u t t e l li n g o r c o n s u l t i n g h e r

h u s b a n d .

I a m n o t s u g g e s t i n g t h a t t h e r e i s a s i m p l e o n e -

t o - o n e c o r r e s p o n d e n c e b e t w e e n e x p l a n a t i o n s o f c o n -

c e p t i o n a n d t h e b e l i ef i n th e r i g h t o f w o m e n t o g e t

a b o r t i o n s . N o n e t h e l e s s , i d e a s a b o u t t h e c o n t r i b u t i o n

o f w o m e n a n d m e n t o t h e c r e a t i o n o f l if e a r e r e l a t ed

t o b e li e fs a b o u t g e n d e r a n d p o w e r w h i c h i n t u r n m a y

i n f l u e n ce a tt i t u d e s t o w a r d a b o r t i o n [ 20 ].

D E B T I N G T H E L E G L I Z T I O N O F B O R T I O N

M a n y r e li g io u s le a d e r s - - C h r i s t i a n s a n d M u s l i m s

a l i k e - - a s w e l l a s s o m e p r o f e s s i o n a l N i g e r i a n s ,

a r e f i g h t i n g t h e l e g a l i z a ti o n o f a b o r t i o n i n N i g e r i a .

D e s p it e t h e fa ct t h a t m a n y w o m e n i n r u ra l a n d u r b a n

E k i t i g e t a b o r t i o n s , u n l e s s p e r f o r m e d t o s a v e t h e

m o t h e r ' s l i f e , a b o r t i o n i s a g a i n s t t h e l a w i n N i g e r i a

( s e e S e c t i o n s 2 2 8 , 2 2 9 , 2 3 0 , 2 9 7 o f t h e N i g e r i a n

C r i m i n a l C o d e w h i c h a p p li e s to S o u t h e r n N i g e r ia ) .

H o w e v e r , a s p e r f o r m i n g a D & C m a y w e l l b e th e

o n l y w a y t o s a v e a w o m a n ' s l if e a f t e r t a k i n g a n

o v e r d o s e o f p a t e n t m e d i c i n e , c l in i c a n d h o s p i t a l

p e r s o n n e l h a v e c o n s i d e r a b l e l a t t i t u d e i n d e c i d i n g

w h a t c o n s t i t u t e s a l e g a l a b o r t i o n . T h u s , i n 1 9 81 , t h e

C o m m i t t ee o n L a w a n d t h e S t a t u s o f W o m e n f o r t he

N a t i o n a l C o u n c i l o f W o m e n ' s S o c i e t i e s o f N i g e r i a

c a m e o u t a g a i n s t l e g a l iz a t i o n o f a b o r t i o n , i n p a r t,

b e c a u s e m e m b e r s f e l t t h a t t h e r e w a s s u f f i c i e n t

f l ex ib i l i t y in ex i s t ing l eg i s l a t ion [21 ] .

S o d e s p i te t h e d r a c o n i a n t o n e o f S e c t i o n s 22 8 a n d

2 2 9 o f t h e C r i m i n a l C o d e [ 2 2 ] w h i c h m a y b e u s e d

t o c o n v i c t a w o m a n ,

w h e t h e r o r n o t s h e i s w i t h

c h i l d , o r a n y p e r s o n w h o b r i n g s a b o u t m i s c a r ri a g e

u s i n g p o i s o n o r o t h e r n o x i o u s t h in g , o r u se s f o r ce

o f a n y k i n d , o r u s e s a n y o t h e r m e a n s w h a t e v e r ,

p r o s e c u t i o n s a r e r a r e l y i n i t ia t e d . W h e n t h e y a r e , t h e y

a r e o f t e n b r o u g h t t o c o u r t a f t e r t h e d e a t h o f a

w o m a n . S ix o f th e e i g h t a b o r t i o n c a s e s w h i c h h a v e

c o m e t o t r i al k n o w n t o O k a g b u e [ 2 3] i n v o l v e d s u c h

a s i t u a t i o n . H o w e v e r s u c h p r o s e c u t i o n s a r e r a r e a n d

f u r t h e r m o r e , c o n v i c t i o n s a r e i n f r e q u e n t a n d s e n t e n c -

i n g i s o f t e n l i g h t . O f t h e e i g h t c a s e s c i t e d a b o v e , t h e

d e f e n d a n t s w e r e a c q u i t t e d i n f o u r c a s e s , i n t w o c a s e s

7/24/2019 Renne 1996


Practice and perception of abortion by Yoruba women

491

defendants were sentenced to three to six months

imprisonment, and in two cases (both in which the

women died), defendants were sentenced to five years

impr isonm ent [23] (p. 199). Considering the lack of

enforcement of legal sanctions against abortion, it is

not surprising that they have little or no deterrent

effect. Indeed, if the relevant sections of the Cr iminal

Code are taken literally as they now stand, all forms

of birth control would be illegal in Nigeria [23]

(p. 198).

There have been several attempts to legalize abor-

tion, including proposals presented in 1981, 1983 and

1990. In 1991, the Federal Minister of Health, Pro-

fessor Olikoye Ransome-Kut i, who supports legaliza-

tion, announced that a new proposal on abortion

was being formulated by the Federal Government.

Ransome-Kuti has argued that by making abortion

legal, maternal mortality will be reduced:

The need for abortion is there. It is clear. Because if there

is no need for it, people won't go for abortion. Then we

[the Ministry of Health] said, the only way to prevent these

deaths. ..is to make it legal. So that people who this

operation safely can offer it to people who need it. We are

not saying people should use it [24].

By regulating abortion clinics, the government will

be able to limit incompet ent and unlicensed prac-

titioners, making safe abor tions available to Nigerian

women generally. Other arguments in favor o f legal-

izing abortion come from medical and university

professionals. They support abortion for various

reasons which include:

(a) its contribution to the solution of Nigeria's

overpopulation problem,

(b) the belief that the morality of abortion is a

matter of individual concern; and

(c} the fact that abort ion has been a part of

African traditional birth control which legal-

ization will make available in more modern,

less expensive ways.

Christian and Muslim leaders, on the other hand,

argue against the legalization of abortion on the

ground s that a pregnancy is God-ordai ned and hence

immune from human interference. For example, ac-

cording to a booklet entitled P r e g n a n o - - A C h ri st ia n

V i e w :

Pregnancy is a condition of being with a child as a result of

the union between a woman's 'egg' and a man's 'egg'

following coitus or insemination. It is a condition peculiar

to women alone because the Creator designed (the first

woman) Eve's body for that purpose...How does preg-

nancy occur? There is no special format. God gives as He

wills and to whoever He wills. God is not limited like we are.

He has various ways of making pregnancy to happen [25]

(p. 12).

According to this argument, abortion counters

both Koranic and Biblical injunctions against killing

because it assumes the life of the child begins follow-

ing coitus or insemination . Taking this argument

a step further, some, but not all, Nigerian Catholic

and Christian fundamentalist leaders are opposed to

contraceptives as well because their use is viewed as

counter to Go d's will [1] (p. 14) [26].

Some professionals, including Dr Abdulkadir

Sulaiman, Director of Planned Parenthood Federa-

tion of Nigeria, argue against legalizing abortion on

the grounds that efforts should be made instead on

emphasizing contraceptive use and sex education,

that prev enti on is better than cure [2] (p. 9). Others

claim that legal abortions will compete with other

procedures in already strained health facilities, while

some argue that legalizing abortion will encourage

promiscuity. These arguments, rather than those

supporting legalization, appear to be reinforced in the

popular press.

While I have not done a systematic study of

references to abortion in the popular press, my

impression, and apparently that of others (see [1]

p. 18) is that ab ortion is often portrayed in a

negative light. For example, in an article [2] appear-

ing in P o i s e (a magazine featuring stories on fashion,

celebrities and social issues) entitled, Abo rt ion:

The Controversy Rages On , only one side--that

opposing legal izat ion- -of the controversy was given.

In other publications, the dire effects of D&Cs an d of

taking drugs which induce abortion are graphically

portrayed in stories with such titles as Is This

Love? [27] and The Shattered Dre am [3].

Yet the effects of such stories on the actions of

school girls, their likely audience, are questionable as

most can already relate similar stories on their own,

as was described by one 19-year old schoolgirl:

I know of someone at school, she was living in a boarding

house and was also married. She had an alhaji [Muslim man

who has been to Mecca] as a friend then and she got

pregnant from the man. This alhaji advised the woman to

let them abort the pregnancy, but things went sour and she

confessed that the pregnancy was not from her husband.

Later. she died.

Many of these stories about abort ion are expressed

in terms of the health consequences, rather than in

terms of anti-religious immorality or illegality. Yet

while the emphasis is on health lite rall y--women who

self-abort or go for D&Cs do sometimes die--these

stories contain an element of moral approbation.

Abortion i s associated with illicit behavior (e.g. hav-

ing children before marriage, taking lovers outside

marriage), emphasized by the fact that women did

not speak openly about abortion in the village.

Indeed, some women belonging to 'gospel' churches

in the village (e.g., Deeper Life Church and

Redeemed Church) adama ntly stated that they would

never abort a pregnancy. Other women believed that

one has a God-given, preordained number of preg-

nancies in her womb and that by aborting, a woman

risks using up her supply.

However, for those women who had terminated

pregnancies described in the ab ortion histories, who

were also Christians , there were no parti cula r feelings

of guilt about their actions [28] (p. 18). Rather, they

7/24/2019 Renne 1996



w e r e m o r e c o n c e r n e d t h a t t h e i r p a r e n t s , t e a c h e rs , o r

h u s b a n d s s h o u l d n o t k n o w o f t h e p r e g n a n cy . N o r d i d

I e v e r h e a r a n y w o m a n m e n t i o n t h e n a t i o n a l d e b a t e

o v e r t h e l e g a l i z a t i o n o f a b o r t i o n a s a f a c t o r i n t h e i r

d e c i s i o n t o a b o r t o r n o t t o a b o r t a p r e g n a n c y . F o r

t h e s e w o m e n , a b o r t i o n i s p a r t o f a p a t te r n o f b e h a v -

i o r , c o n s i d e r e d s u b - r o s a i n t h e f i r s t p l a c e b u t n e c e s s -

a r y a s w e l l. T h e e c o n o m i c a n d s o c i a l r e a l i t ie s o f

e v e r y d a y l i f e - - i n w h i c h b o y f r i e n d s a r e n e e d e d f o r

f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t , e i t h e r f o r s c h o o l f e e s o r c a r i n g f o r

o n e ' s c h i l d r e n - - a s w e l l a s i n d i g e n o u s b e l i e fs a b o u t

c o n c e p t i o n a n d w h e n l if e b e g i ns , o v e r r i d e c o n f l i c ti n g

i d e o lo g i e s a b o u t t h e m o r a l i ty o f ' k e e p i n g a p r e g n a n c y

f r o m s t a y i n g ' .

CONCLUSION

A b o r t i o n p e r f o r m e d w i t h in t h e f ir st t r i m e s t e r - - b y

u s i n g t r a d i t i o n a l a n d ' p a t e n t ' a b o r t i f a c i e n t s a s w e l l

a s b y D & C - - - -c o n t i n u e s a s a p r i m a r y f o r m o f b i rt h

c o n t r o l ( T a b l e 5 ) i n t h is E k i t i Y o r u b a v i l la g e d e s p i t e

i ts d e p i c t i o n i n t h e p o p u l a r p r e s s a s i m m o r a l a n d i n

t h e n e w s m e d i a a s i l l e g a l . T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l r e a s o n s

f o r t h i s b e h a v i o r , t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t b e i n g t h a t :

( 1) p a t e n t a n d t r a d i t i o n a l a b o r t i fa c i e n t s , t a k e n

o n l y w h e n p r e g n a n t , a r e p e r c e i v e d a s m o r e

a c c e s s i b l e a n d l e s s e x p e n s i v e t h a n c o n t r a c e p -

t iv e s w h i c h m u s t b e t a k e n o v e r a l o n g e r p e r i o d ;

( 2 ) i t is b e l i e v e d t o b e e a s i e r t o b r i n g a p r e g n a n c y

d o w n t h a n t o p r e v e n t o n e; a n d

( 3 ) f o r m a n y v i l l a g e r s , t h e c h i l d is o n l y c o n s i d e r e d

a l iv e a ft e r t h e f o u r t h m o n t h .

T h e p r o b l e m s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h a b o r t i o n a s a f o r m

o f b i r th c o n t r o l - - w o m e n d y i n g f r o m o v e r d o s e s o f

p a t e n t a n d t r a d i t i o n a l m e d i c i n e s a s w e l l a s f r o m

b a d l y p e r f o r m e d D & C s - - c a n b e ad d r e ss e d , i t s e em s

t o m e , b y t a k i n g t h e s e t r a d i t i o n a l a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d

b i r t h c o n t r o l i n t o c o n s i d e r a t i o n .

T h e a d m i n i s tr a t i o n o f t h e a n t i h o r m o n e d r u g ,

R U - 4 8 6 [ 2 9 ] , a l s o k n o w n a s M i f e p r i s t o n e o r t h e

' a b o r t i o n p i l l ', i s q u i t e s i m i l a r t o t h e s e q u e n c e o f

t a k i n g p a t e n t m e d i c i n e t a b l e t s p r e s e n t l y f o l l o w e d

b y v i ll a g e w o m e n . A n R U - 4 8 6 t a b l e t i s t a k e n

i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r a p e r i o d i s m i s s e d , m u c h a s p a t e n t

m e d i c i n e s s u c h a s B e e - c o d e i n e t a b l e t s a r e t a k e n .

A f o l l o w - u p p r o s t a g l a n d i n t a b l e t o r in j e c t io n s h o u l d

a l s o b e g i v e n 2 d a y s a f t e r t h e i n i t i a l t r e a t m e n t [ 2 9 ]

( p . 2 1 0 ), i t s t i m i n g s i m i l a r t o t h e t a k i n g o f a n t i b i o t i c s

a f t e r a D & C w h i c h i s b e l i e v e d ' t o m a k e t h e b l o o d

f l o w '. T h e u s e o f R U - 4 8 6 c o u l d a l l e v i a t e s o m e o f th e

s t r e s s o n a n o v e r b u r d e n e d h e a l t h c a r e s y s t e m a n d

c o u l d b e a d m i n i s t e r e d m o r e d i s c r e t e ly a n d s a f e l y t h a n

D & C p r o c e d u r e s .

H o w e v e r t h e r e a r e s e v e r a l p o t e n t i a l p r o b l e m s [3 0].

B e c a u s e o f th e c o n t r o v e r s i a l n a t u r e o f t h e a b o r t i o n

i ss u e, th e m a n u f a c t u r e r o f R U - 4 8 6 , R o u s s e l - U c l a f ,

w i l l n o t m a r k e t i t i n c o u n t r i e s w h e r e a b o r t i o n i s

i ll e g al , h e n c e m o s t o f A f r ic a . ( T h e o n l y k n o w n t ri a l

o f R U - 4 8 6 p r e s e n t l y t a k i n g p l a c e i n A f r i c a i s i n

Z a m b i a w h e r e a b o r t i o n i s l e g al .) W H O h a s a c te d a s

a n i n t e r m e d i a r y f o r d i s t ri b u t i n g t h e d r u g o n a t r i al

b a s i s b u t h e a l t h o f f i c ia l s o f t h e i n t e r e s t e d c o u n t r y

m u s t a c t i v e l y s o l i c it W H O h e l p . F u r t h e r , t h e r e is t h e

p o s s i b il i ty o f a b u s e , w i t h h e a l t h r i s k s to w o m e n

o b t a i n i n g R U - 4 8 6 o r p r o s t a g l a n d i n t a b l e t s a n d n o t

p r o p e r l y u s i n g th e m . S i n c e b o t h t a b l e t s s h o u l d b e

a d m i n i s t e r e d u n d e r m e d i c a l s u p e r v i s io n a n d f o l l o w e d

w i t h a c h e c k - u p , i n c a s e a D & C i s n e c e s s a r y , t h i s

p r o c e d u r e w o u l d n o t b e e a s il y a v a i l a b l e t o m a n y r u r a l

w o m e n . F i n a l l y , t h e c o s t o f R U - 4 8 6 a n d a s s o c i a t e d

h o s p i ta l t r e a t m e n t - - a p p r o x i m a t e d a t £ 75 in E n g l a n d

[ 29 ] ( p . 112 ) , m a ke i t s u s e , un l e s s s ubs i d i z e d , p r o -

h i b i ti v e f o r N i g e r i a n v i l l ag e w o m e n . H o w e v e r , n o n e

o f th e s e p r o b l e m s a r e i n s u r m o u n t a b l e , A s m a l l -s c a l e

p i l o t p r o j e c t c o u l d b e o r g a n i z e d w i t h a m a j o r t e a c h -

i n g h o s p i t a l , w i t h w o m e n g i v e n i n s t r u c ti o n , m e d i c a l

a s s is t a n c e a n d s u b s i d iz e d d o s e s o f R U - 4 8 6 .

S u c h a n e f f o r t w o u l d b e w o r t h t r y i n g [ 3 1 , 3 2 ] ( p . 9 )

f o r w h i l e it i s d o u b t f u l t h a t E k i t i v i l la g e w o m e n w i l l

g o s o f a r a s t o s a y , a s d i d o n e y o u n g L a g o s w o m a n

t h a t , I n N i g e r i a , a v i r g i n i s a g i r l w h o h a s n ' t h a d a n

a b or t i o n [1 ] ( p . 13 ), i t i s c l e a r t ha t m a n y w i l l

c o n t i n u e t o u s e m e d i c i n e s a n d p r o c e d u r e s t h a t ' k e e p

a p r e g n a n c y f r o m s t a y i n g ' d e s p i t e g o v e r n m e n t p o l i c i e s ,

r e l ig i o u s s tr i ct u r e s, a n d k n o w l e d g e o f t h e d a n g e r s

i n v o l v e d . B y t h e i r a c t i o n s , t h e s e w o m e n a r e r e l y i n g

o n ' p r a c t i c a l s t r a te g i e s r a t h e r t h a n ' o f f i c i a l' o n e s .

Table 5. Birth control ever used by wom en, by age and method*

Only D&C and:

Contra & All

Age (years ) T ra d C o n t r a Abor ti f D&C Abort if Co nt r a Abor ti f me thod s

15-19 (n =44) 1 15 8 3 4 5 4 4

20-24 (n =41) -- 11 9 7 4 5 1 4

25-29 (n = 17) 1 5 6 1 1 I 2 - -

30-34 (n = 7) - - 4 1 - - - - 1 I - -

35-39 (n = 11) 2 3 1 3 --- I I

40-44 (n = 6) - - 2 I 2 - - I - - - -

45--49 (n ~ 4) I - - 3 . . . . .

Tota l by me thod (n = 130) 5 40 29 16 9 14 8 9

% 4 31 65

*Birth con trol use d, by m ethod: (1) Trad=Trad itional medicine: ring s; (2) Co ntra=Contraceptives: Fa m ily Planning tablets.

Fam ily Planning injection, condom , safe period, withdrawal, sterilization; and (3) A bor tif= A bortifacients (taken after intercourse):

(a) Patent medicines: Bee-codeine, Menstrogen, Dr. Bonjean's tablets, Tetracyclin, Panadol, Phrensic, M& B, and E.P . Forte tablets;

(b) Effervescent, emony , or salty drinks: Sprite, 7 U p, C oca cola, Krest, Andrew 's Liver Salt, lemon uice with potash, salt and water,

epa ljebu native gin.

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P r a c t i c e a n d p e r c e p t i o n o f a b o r t i o n b y Y o r u b a w o m e n

493

A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s - - T h i s s t u d y w a s c o n d u c t e d u n d e r t h e

a u s p i c e s o f t h e H e a l t h T r a n s i t i o n C e n t r e a n d t h e D e p a r t -

m e n t o f D e m o g r a p h y , T h e A u s t r a l i a n N a t i o n a l U n i v e r s i ty ,

a n d t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f S o c i o lo g y , O n d o S t a te U n i v e rs i ty ,

A d o - E k i t i , w i t h f u n d i n g f r o m t h e M e l l o n F o u n d a t i o n .

I wou l d l i ke t o t ha nk Mi s s Comf o r t A j a y i f o r r e s e a r c h

a s s is t a nc e a n d M r K e h i n d e A j a y i f o r t ra n s l a t io n . A d d i t i o n a l

t h a n k s g o t o J o O T o o l e E r w i n , P a t a n d J o h n C a l d w e ll ,

I .O . O r u b u l o y e , L a R a y D e n z e r , a n d m y c o l l e ag u e s a t O n d o

S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y , A d o - E k i t i , a n d t o B a r b a r a R y l k o - B a u e r

a nd Pa t An t on i e l l o f o r e d i t o r i a l a s s i s t a nc e .

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o f t y i n g a p r e g n a n c y (ideyun), us ua l l y a c c ompl i s he d

du r i ng t he f i r s t o r s e c ond mon t h . As de s c r i be d by a

w o m a n d i v i n e r ( iyalawo) , a f r e s h l y l a i d , un i nc uba t e d

he n s e gg is t ouc he d t o a w om a n s va g i na , t he n s l owly

r a i s e d up t he f r on t o f he r body t o a bou t s t e r nu m l e ve l,

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h i dde n i n t h e d i v i ne r s hous e un t i l j u s t be f o r e de l i ve ry ,

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28 . Ca l dwe l l J . a nd Ca l dwe l l P. Ma r i t a l s t a t u s a nd a b o r t i on

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Afr ica ( Ed i t e d by B l e ds oe C . a nd P i s on G . ) . pp . 274

295. Clarendon Press , Oxford , 1994.

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Sc hus t e r , Ne w Yor k , 1991 .

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a nd S t ough t on , London , 1962~

A P P E ND I X

Som e Exam ples 0[ Tradit ional Medic ines Used

as Abort i fac ients

(1) Ewe ~T i nr i n - -l e a f f r o m Mo mord ica cucurhi taceae.

Mi x w i t h s a lt , t he n ke p t i n a bo t t le . W a i t t he n r e m ove t he

l ea ves , w i t h s a l t a nd wa t e r r e ma i n i ng . Ta ke one s m a l l c up f u l

a f t e r me e t i ng a ma n . T he p r e g na nc y w on t s t a y .

( 2 ) Ce r t a i n t ype s o f p l a n t s u s e d t o b r i ng a p r e gna nc y

down a f t e r l t : t o 2 mon t hs : Enupokure-Oie re (Pedi lanthus

t i t h y m a l o i d e s ) - - T y p e of s uc c u l e n t p l a n t .

Whi t e wa t e r c ome s f r om t h i s p l a n t . Co t t on woo l i s u s e d

t o c o l l e c t t he wa t e r . Ta ke a ba l l o f e k o f u n f u n ( c o r ns t a r c h

pa s t e ) , ta ke ha l f a nd pu t i t i n a c le a n c up . Add s ma l l wa t e r

t o t h i s a nd mi x t oge t he r . The n s que e z e t he c o t t on woo l t o

e x t r a c t t he p l a n t j u ic e i n t o t he c up ( t he r e s hou l d be 2 s poon s

f u l l o f t h i s j ui ce ). The p r e g na n t w om a n wi ll d r i nk t h i s

mi x t u r e ve r y e a r l y in t he mo r n i ng a r o und 5 : 30 a .m . A t t he

ve r y l a t e s t , by e ve n i ng , t he p r e gna nc y wi l l c ome down .

(3) Os un buk e , g r o u n d c a m w o o d ; Konun po t a s h [ 33 ]

(p. 392); Oson wewe, s ma l l l i me (Ci trus lemonis) [18] (p. 272).

G r i n d oson wewe a n d k onun t oge t he r . The l i me wa t e r

s hou l d be pu t i n a bo t t le , t he n d r op i n t he g r oun d osun buke

a n d konun. T a k e 1 t a b l e s p o o n o f t h i s m i x tu r e m o r n i n g ,

a f t e r noon a nd e ve n i ng . By t he 2nd da y , t he p r e gna nc y wi l l

c o m e d o w n .

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4 9 4 E l i s h a P . R e n n e

( 4 ) T o s p o i l a p r e g n a n c y : lieu eta, s k i n o f t h e c i v e t c a t ;

lleu ekun, s k i n o f t h e l e o p a r d .

U s e a s c i s so r s t o c u t p i e c e s o f l e o p a r d a n d c i v et c a t s k i n .

P u t t h e t w o t o g e t h e r , w r a p t h e m w i t h c o t t o n t h r e a d , a n d t i e

t h e t h r e a d . T h e w o m a n s h o u l d i n s e r t i t i n h e r v a g i n a a n d

i m m e d i a t e l y s h e w i l l s e e h e r m e n s e s . ( I t h a s t o b e s m a l l ; i t

c a n b e t i e d w i t h e i t h e r w h i t e o r b l a c k t h r e a d . I c a n t e x p l a in

h o w i t w o r k s i n t h e v a g i n a , b u t I a m s u r e t h a t w i t h i n a s h o r t

t i m e , t h e p r e g n a n c y w i l l s p o i l . )

( 5 ) T o b r i n g d o w n a t w o m o n t h a n d f iv e m o n t h

p r e g n a n c y :

Orisode,

a t y p e o f p l a n t

Enupokure Pedilanthus

tithymaloides) a t y p e o f s u c c u l e n t p l a n t .

F o r f iv e m o n t h p r e g n a n c y : T a k e t h e j u i c e e x t r a c t e d

f r o m t h e l e a v e s o f b o t h t y p e s o f p l a n t s a n d m i x w i t h

t h e c o n t e n t s o f a n e w l y l ai d e g g ( r e m o v e d b y c a r e f u ll y

c u t t i n g o f f t h e p o i n t e d e n d ) . P u t t h e m i x t u r e b a c k i n

t h e e g g s h e l l a n d s e a t i t o n a s m a l l h e a d t i e p l a c e d i n

t h e b o t t o m o f a p o t . P u t s o m e w a t e r i n t h e p o t o n t h e

f i re a n d c o o k . W h e n s o l i d , g iv e t o t h e w o m a n t o e a t .

I f s h e d o e s n t i m m e d i a t e l y v o m i t , h e r w o m b w i l l b e

g o i n g u p a n d d o w n a n d w i t h i n t h r e e d a y s t h e p r e g n a n c y w i ll

c o m e d o w n . F o r t w o m o n t h p r e g n a n c y , u s e t h e s a m e

p r o c e d u r e b u t o n l y u s e t h e

enupokure

p l a n t j u i c e w i t h t h e

e g g .

Renne 1996

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