Publication: Women Having Abortion in Urban Nepal: 2005 and 2010 Compared
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Date
2012
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
The use of abortion services at the Maternity Hospital clinic, the largest public sector
abortion clinic in Nepal, has risen over the years. Whether the profile of the clients,
reasons for abortion, and contraceptive use have changed are not known and need to
be investigated.
Objectives
This paper evaluates changes between 2005 and 2010 in the socio-demographic profile
of abortion users, reasons for seeking abortion, and contraceptive use of two cohorts
of women who had first-trimester abortion at the Maternity Hospital.
Methods
We used data from two similar surveys conducted in 2005 and 2010 among 672 and
392 women, respectively, who obtained first-trimester surgical abortion in a large
public sector clinic. We analyzed trend data in service utilization and carried out a cost
analysis.
Results
The number of women having abortions has steadily increased over the years, and
cumulatively about 19,800 women have received services. The profile of the clients
at this clinic has remained essentially the same between 2005 and 2010. The typical
users of abortion services at the clinic were 27 years old with two living children, mostly
married, with the majority not wanting to have more children. About half of them
used a contraceptive method—mostly condoms, withdrawal, the pill and rhythm—in
the month of unintended pregnancy, suggesting failures with these methods. Health
concerns, dislike of available methods, and perceived low risk of pregnancy were
common reasons for not using a contraceptive method.
Conclusion
Despite increases in the number of clients, the socio-demographic profile of the
abortion clients has remained similar over the years. The linkage between the abortion
and family planning clinics needs to be strengthened.
KEY WORDS
Abortion, client characteristics, family planning, Nepal
Description
Thapa S,1 Neupane S,2 Basnett I,3 Read E4
1Public Health Institute, Washington, DC, USA; Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Geneva, Switzerland; Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Lalitpur, Nepal
2Valley Research Group, Lalitpur, Nepal
3Ipas/Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
4School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, USA