Abortion Stigma Correlates: Comparing Two Kenyan Counties in High and Low Incidence of Unsafe Abortion

Abstract

Increase in unsafe abortion incidence rate (from 32 to 48 per 1000 WRA) in the last 10 years in Kenya (APHRC 2013) •In 2012, 465,000 women treated for complications from incomplete or unsafe abortions •119,912 women treated for induced abortion complications WRA (in 000’s) Induced Abortion Rate per 1,000 WRA Induced Abortion Ratio per 100 Total 9600 48 30 Central & Nairobi 2186 32 20 Coast & N.Eastern 1298 51 32 Eastern 1382 20 13 Nyanza & Western 2329 63 39 Rift Valley 2404 64 40 Induced Abortion Rates and Ratios Background •Abortion is a very sensitive issue with providers and women treated as outcasts (Kumaret al., 2014) •Abortion often viewed as an abnormal event and women who have them are deviant (Kumar et al., 2013) •Women feel embarrassment, shame, guilt and fear of disclosure – effectively silencing them from discussing their experience (Cockril et al., 2013) •Women experience rejection, exclusion or discrimination as a result of seeking an abortion or when their abortion is voluntarily or involuntarily revealed to others (Shellenberg et al., 2014)