''I Thought I Had No Choice": One Woman's Story of Survival. Post-abortion care

Content warning: This post discusses unsafe abortion and its consequences.

By St. Lawrence Medical Center

Sharon was 16 years old when she found herself facing an unplanned pregnancy. She was still in secondary school. She was terrified of her parents' reaction and the stigma that would follow.

She felt she had no choice.

"I first tried traditional remedies and herbal concoctions," she later recalled. When those failed, a friend directed her to a clinic in Nakulabye, where she underwent an unsafe abortion procedure.

The procedure left her with severe complications—persistent abdominal pain and heavy bleeding that lasted for weeks. When she tried to return to the clinic for help, the doctor avoided her. She sold some of her school belongings to raise money for treatment at another facility, where she finally received post-abortion care and recovered.

Sharon's story is not unique. It reflects the reality faced by thousands of women and girls across Uganda every year.

The Numbers Are Alarming

• 4% of all maternal deaths in Uganda are due to abortion-related complications—189 deaths per 100,000 live births.

• An estimated 297,000 to 314,000 induced abortions occur annually.

• At Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, 5 to 10 women are admitted daily with post-abortion complications.

"I felt sorry for unborn babies because of the high rate of aborted babies at this health facility," one observer noted after reviewing hospital records. But the tragedy is not just about the unborn—it is also about the young women whose lives are cut short or permanently damaged.

Why Do Women Turn to Unsafe Methods? Fear of the law, stigma, poverty, and lack of information drive women away from health facilities. Many do not know that post-abortion care is legal. Others fear being reported to the police or judged by medical staff.

"The rich find safer options, but young girls and poor women resort to dangerous methods because they have no alternatives," said Dr. Pebalo Francis Pebolo, a senior gynaecologist at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital.

Health workers report that women often delay seeking care until it is too late.

What You Need to Know. Post-abortion

• Post-abortion care

  is legal in Uganda. No law prohibits a health worker from providing treatment for abortion complications.

• Seek help immediately if you experience heavy bleeding, fever, or severe pain after a pregnancy loss. Delaying care can be fatal.

• You are not alone. Many women face unplanned pregnancies. There is no shame in seeking help.

• Prevention is possible. Access to family planning and comprehensive sexuality education can reduce unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions.

We Are Here for You at St. Lawrence Medical Center, we offer confidential, compassionate care. Our clinic is located in Kampala, Uganda, and we are open 24/7 to provide safe, private, and professional reproductive health services.

Whether you need counselling, post-abortion care, family planning services, or emergency support, our trained professionals are here for you without judgment.

You can reach us at +256 786 956149 or +256 758 461548.

Your health and your life matter. Reach out today.