MSFC in the News

The Grim Reality Of Maternal Health For Young Women In Nigeria

Aug 30, 2025 | By Hadiza Thompson in New Nigerian
Originally published in New Nigerian on August 30, 2025. You can access the original publication here: www.newnigeriannewspapers.ng/the-grim-reality-of-maternal-health-for-young-women-in-nigeria

Article by MSFC's Board Memeber Hadiza Thompson.

Nigeria continues to carry a heavy burden of maternal mortality, estimated at over 800 per 100,000 live births, with stark regional disparities worsening outcomes for very young mothers.

Our country bears one of the world’s highest burdens of maternal mortality. In 2023 alone, an estimated 75,000 maternal deaths occurred—nearly a third of global maternal fatalities The Guardian.

Alarmingly, adolescent girls are especially vulnerable. Adolescent fertility rate stands at about 106 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19yrs. BioMed Central and maternal causes account for 40% of deaths among girls aged 15 to 19 in Nigeria…

Continue Reading