The Age Specific Practices and Outcomes in Women Undergoing Unsafe Abortions in Rural Communities of Kenya

Abstract

Unsafe Abortion is common among young women. It is not however known whether the young women decide on their own to terminate the pregnancies, whether the methods they use are similar to those of older women, and whether the outcomes of their unsafely procured abortions are different from those of older women. This study therefore set to establish the age specific practices and outcomes of unsafe abortion. It was a cross-sectional survey and the setting was Siaya County, Kenya in East Africa. A sample of 320 women aborting unsafely and reporting to health facilities for completion of the process and management of complications were interviewed to determine their reproductive health profiles, decision making process for unsafe abortion, unsafe abortion methods they had used and outcomes making them seek healthcare. The study found that 76% of women aborting unsafely were between 10 and 24 years with 62% being nulliparous. 84% of them had undesired pregnancy. Younger women were likely to consult with a variety of people before making a decision to abort unsafely. Women with wanted pregnancy and aborting unsafely were likely to be of a younger age. The younger person was also more likely to use a wide variety of unsafe abortion methods resulting in more complications.