Wendland publishes study about maternal mortality misinformation in Global Public Health

Claire Wendland, MD, PhD,  professor in the Division of Reproductive and Population Health, co-authored a new study published in Global Public Health. Co-authors include Lynn Morgan.

In “Debunking misinformation about abortion-related maternal mortality in Africa,” Wendland and co-authors noted how misinformation in Africa about abortion that justifies its restriction and criminalization increases the continent’s rates for maternal mortality and morbidity, exacerbate risks for young, rural, poor, and unmarried women, and undermining gender equity.

“Families and communities suffer when pregnant people die or are sickened, stigmatised, prosecuted, or jailed for exercising their bodily autonomy. Faced with this reality, activists strongly opposed to abortion legalisation but committed to saving women’s lives and promoting family wellbeing might sign on to the movement for decriminalisation (Hefez et al., Pizzarossa et al.). Removing criminal penalties for seeking abortion will help epidemiologists to gather more reliable information on maternal mortality generally, and abortion-related mortality specifically.”

Read the full article here.

**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Paige Stevenson