mental or physical health. the law requires that an abortion be sanctioned in writing by two physicians. illegal abortions are punishable by up to three years of prison. a june 2013 study funded by the clinton health access initiative surveyed 3,219 liberian women aged 15 to 49 and found that 32 percent had had an abortion. according to the guttmacher institute, liberia has 242,000 abortions annually, of which 119,000 are unintended and 47,600 result in abortion. on 13 june 2022, a joint committee of the senate of liberia began debating a bill to lift the ban on abortion. the bill was initiated by senator augustine chea of sinoe county, chair of the senate health committee. as of november 2022, the outcome of the debate remains uncertain.