Nairobi — Many gynecologists are calling for legalisation of abortion as a matter of urgency. According to Dr John Nyamu, the director of Reproductive Health Services, a woman's health cannot be complete without tackling the problem of abortion, the leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity and an important part of reproductive health care services.

In this era of reproductive health care, says Dr Nyamu, Kenya needs to think deeply of how to approach the issue of abortion and post abortion care rather than brush it aside.

According to Dr Nyamu, abortion laws in Kenya, which permit the act only for the preservation of a woman's health, are out dated and need revision to permit abortion for reasons such as contraceptive failure, conception following rape and incest, as well as malformed fetuses.

In countries where abortion is legal, says the doctor, the incidence is quite low, rating 2-4 times less than where it is illegal. This is a clear indication that repressive abortion legislation does not prevent abortion but just prevents safe abortion and turns abortion into a major killer of women, he stresses.

According to Dr Charles Okumu, the director of Nairobi Gynae Centre, abortion should be legalized unconditionally and this should be done most urgently.

Once a woman has decided to terminate a pregnancy, say Dr Okumu, nobody, not even the law can stop her. Denying them safe services, he says, will only make them seek the services of quacks and this can be fatal.

Asked whether his views are motivated by financial gains, Dr Okumu says that it is the housemaids and school girls who commonly ask for abortion. "What money do they have?" he asks.

One female gynaecologist, who requested anonymity, said abortion on request is only illegal for the poor. Once one has money, she says, the services are always available.

Currently, she says, abortion is one among the top five major causes of maternal mortality in Kenya. It is therefore urgent that it should be tackled to get a once and for all solution.