Awareness of Abortion Laws and Readiness to Undergo Abortion among Women in Ekpoma Edo State, Nigeria

Reproductive health is one of the most sensitive and delicate discuss in public health domain all over the world. This study explores the level of awareness of abortion laws and the readiness to undergo abortion among women in Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. Despite Nigeria’s restrictive abortion laws, many women continue to seek abortion under circumstances such as life-threatening pregnancies or sexual assault. The study used a cross-sectional research design; data were collected from 315 women aged 15–49 through structured questionnaires. Findings revealed that awareness of abortion laws was low among the women (only 18.4% knew abortion is legally regulated), though most respondents supported abortion in cases where the woman’s life is at risk (85.4%) or following rape (64.4%). Social media and peers were the main sources of information. Stigma, fear of legal action, and cost were the major barriers to safe abortion. The study concludes that inadequate awareness and restrictive laws perpetuate unsafe abortion practices. It recommends comprehensive reproductive health education, community sensitization, and legal reform to align national laws with the Maputo Protocol.