NY Times: The Deadly Toll of Abortion by Amateurs, by Denise Grady:

BEREGA, Tanzania — A handwritten ledger at the hospital tells a grimstory. For the month of January, 17 of the 31 minor surgical procedureshere were done to repair the results of “incomplete abortions.” A fewmay have been miscarriages, but most were botched operations by untrained, clumsy hands.

Abortionis illegal in Tanzania (except to save the mother’s life or health), sowomen and girls turn to amateurs, who may dose them with herbs or otherconcoctions, pummel their bellies or insert objects vaginally.Infections, bleeding and punctures of the uterus or bowel can result,and can be fatal. Doctors treating women after these bungled attemptssometimes have no choice but to remove the uterus.

Pregnancyand childbirth are among the greatest dangers that women face inAfrica, which has the world’s highest rates of maternal mortality — atleast 100 times those in developed countries. Abortion accounts for asignificant part of the death toll.