Monrovia — U.S. Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, has raised alarm over what he describes as the growing global promotion of abortion pills, warning that the drugs could pose serious health risks to women.
Speaking from Washington, D.C., Rep. Smith said a new study by the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), titled “The Abortion Pill Harms Women,” found that adverse effects linked to the abortion pill mifepristone are far more common than previously reported. According to the April 2025 study, serious complications are allegedly 22 times higher than what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) currently recognizes.
“The abortion pill is not safe, and the cover-up must end,” Smith said. “Following a mifepristone abortion, 11 percent of women experience sepsis, infection, hemorrhaging, or another serious or life-threatening adverse event. That’s shocking.”
Smith also expressed concern about Liberia’s pending Public Health Act amendment, which, if passed, would broaden access to abortion services. He claimed the campaign is being supported by international donors including Ireland, UNFPA, UNICEF, and Sweden, calling it “a new form of neo-colonialism.”
“These outsiders are using development funds to impose abortion on African nations under the false banner of women’s rights,” he said.
The U.S. lawmaker announced plans to introduce new legislation—the Safe Passages Act—to expand maternal healthcare services by increasing access to trained birth attendants, emergency obstetric care, and rural health infrastructure.
“True compassion demands that we invest in life-saving maternal care, not life-ending drugs,” Smith said. “Liberia’s children—and their mothers—deserve far better.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) and other global health agencies, however, maintain that mifepristone and misoprostol—when used under approved medical supervision—are among the safest and most effective methods for terminating early pregnancies, with complication rates significantly lower than those associated with unsafe abortions.
Liberia’s Ministry of Health is yet to issue an official statement on the proposed amendment or the concerns raised by Congressman Smith.
Support Independent Journalism
Your support helps FrontPage Africa continue delivering independent, credible, and impactful journalism. Every contribution strengthens our ability to investigate, inform, and hold power accountable while keeping quality journalism accessible to our readers.
Support our journalism or subscribe to receive the latest FrontPage Africa stories and updates.
