Determinants of Abortion Practice in Addis Ababa
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2010-07
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 42 million abortions take place
every year around the world. Approximately 95% of unsafe abortions take place in poor countries,
where access to family-planning services is limited. Unsafe abortion accounted for 17% of all
maternal deaths in Eastern Africa. In Ethiopia 500,000 women suffer disabilities related to
pregnancy and child health due to unsafe abortion related reasons. In Addis Ababa, unsafe abortion
accounts for almost 54% percent of maternal mortality.
Objective: This study aimed to examine different socio-cultural, economic and demographic
factors that are associated with their knowledge, attitude and practice of abortion.
Methodology: By applying multistage sampling method , 430 Addis Ababa reproductive age
women were interviewed from five randomly selected health facilities which provide
Comprehensive Abortion Care. Representative from three types of health providers (Government,
private and NGO owned) were also interviewed in depth. Descriptive, Chi-square and multivariate
analysis were done to figure out factors associated with their knowledge, a attitude and practice of
abortion.
Result: Only 44% of the interviewed women can state the correct circumstances where abortion is
permissible under Ethiopian abortion law. In terms of attitude 54 % of them are against the idea of
abortion practice and 41 % of them do not agree on legality of abortion. Respondent's religious
affiliation indicates an association with respondent's attitude towards legality of abortion.
From the 414 ever pregnant women 65% of them have had abortion practice in their life time. Of
which 66% of the abortion was induced. Taking the confounding effects of each variable, marital
status, parity, abortion attitude, unwanted pregnancy history, birth place and occupation were found
to be the major predictor variables that related with women abortion practice.
Conclusion: Women who are married, less than 30 years old, employed and who were born outside
Addis Ababa mirrored relatively higher level of abortion practice than their counterparts. Giving
due attention for effective family planning utilization, post abortion care, women empowerment,
awareness on abortion legality, proper training and medical supplies are the major themes which
needs to be considered for further interventions on abortion in general and unsafe abortion in
particular.
Key words: Abortion , attitude, practice, unwanted pregnancy
Description
Keywords
Abortion, attitude, practice, unwanted pregnancy