RESUMO
Each year in Nigeria; hundreds of thousands of women become pregnant without wanting to; and many women with unwanted pregnancies decide to end them by abortion. Because abortion is legal only to save a woman's life; most procedures are clandestine; and many are carried out in unsafe circumstances. Unsafe abortions can endanger women's reproductive health and lead to serious; often life-threatening complications. Furthermore; unsafe abortions impose a heavy burden on women and society by virtue of the serious health consequences that often ensue: Treating thesehealth problems is costly and consumes scarce resources at both public (government) and private health institutions. Because abortion is largely illegal; information on the procedure is difficult to obtain. However; a general picture emerges from new research findings that shed light on the causes; level and consequences of abortion in Nigeria