Renu Kumari, Kashif Shahnawaz
BACKGROUND Abortion can be defined as the termination of pregnancy by any means before the foetus is sufficiently developed to survive. Out of 210 million pregnancies occurring every year throughout the world, about one third ends in stillbirths or abortions. Due to abortion related complications, about 47,000 women die annually in developing countries. Approximately 200 deaths per day worldwide are due to unsafe abortions. Safe abortion is the key intervention in these cases for improving women’s health and quality of life. The aim and objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices of women under study towards medical abortion, and to evaluate socio-demographic profiles of women seeking abortion. MATERIALS AND METHODS A longitudinal study was conducted in obstetrics and gynaecology department of Patna medical college & hospital, Patna, in collaboration with the department of community medicine, from June-2016 to Dec-2016 (Six months). Study subjects were all eligible women of reproductive age group (15-45 years), and registered with features of medical abortion. A total of 200 cases of medical abortion were selected for this study by simple randomization. Verbal consent of all the cases was taken and confidentiality was maintained. Personal information of all cases were obtained by taking a personal interview and using a pre-designed questionnaire. The results were finally analysed. RESULTS Most of the women under study were between 25-34 years of age (55%). Out of these 200 women, 95% were married, and 5% were unmarried. Hundred women interviewed were illiterate (50%), while only 25 (12.5%) were graduates. Twenty-two women (11%) belong to Kuppuswamy grade I of socio-economic status, while 65 women (32.5%) belonged to grade IV (%) and 40(20%) to grade V. Majority got the knowledge of contraception through media, like radio (25%), television (20%), stage drama (15%), relatives (12.5%). Most cases of medical abortion were performed by local dais (60%). Instrumentation was the most commonly used procedure in our study for conducting abortion (in 45% cases). Main complication after abortion in this study was excessive bleeding, as complained by 65% women. CONCLUSION It was concluded in our present study that medical abortion is an important neglected health problem. Main reasons behind this negligence are lack of education, well trained service providers and easily available abortion services.
