Characteristics of Abortion Care Seekers in South-Western Nigeria

Boniface A Oye-Adeniran, Isaac F Adewole, Augustine V Umoh, Oluwafunmilayo R Fapohunda, Ngozi Iwere

Abstract

This prospective hospital-based study was carried out to understand the characteristics of abortion care seekers in southwestern Nigeria. Information was obtained from a total of 1876 women seeking abortion at hospitals using a questionnaire. The results show that majority (60%) were between the ages of 15 and 24 years, of which adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19 years constituted 23.7%. Most (63.2%) of the respondents were unmarried, but married women also constituted a significant proportion (30.2%) of the abortion care seekers. Students were the single highest group, while the predominant economic activity was trading (26.7%). Respondents terminated their pregnancies mainly because they were students or because they did not desire to have children. Most (35.5%) of the women were introduced to providers by friends. Average contraceptive prevalence among the abortion care seekers was 27.4%. It is obvious from the results that young persons, especially in-school adolescents, should be targeted for comprehensive sexuality education especially in view of the current HIV/AIDS pandemic. (Afr J Reprod Health 2004; 8[3]: 81-91)

 

Keywords: Abortion, abortion care seekers, unwanted pregnancy, contraceptive prevalence, young persons, Nigeria

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