Sileshi Berihun, Enat Kefyalew, Hiwot Tadele and Belsity Temesgen
Background: Nearly 56 million induced abortions (safe and unsafe) were performed worldwide every year between 2010-2014, and from these about 25 million accounts for unsafe abortion and over half of all estimated unsafe abortions globally had taken place in Asia. In developing countries, the risk of death following complications of unsafe abortion procedures was several hundred times higher than that of an abortion performed professionally under safe conditions. Worldwide women of all ages seek abortion, but there was highest burden of illness and deaths due to abortion among the youths. So, the aim of this study was to assess induced abortion and its associated factors among reproductive age group women in Debre Markos Referral Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.
Methods: Institutional based cross sectional study design was conducted in Debre Markos Referral Hospital among reproductive age group women from September, 1/2017 to December, 20/2017. Sample size was determined by using single population proportion formula. Systematic sampling technique was used. The data were entered into Epi-Data version 3.1 and were exported to SPSS version 23 software for further analysis. Logistic regression model was fitted to determine the predictors of induced abortion and those variables with p value <0.2 in binary logistic regression were entered into a multi-variable logistic regression analysis. Finally variables with a p value of <0.05 in multi-variable logistic regression model were declared as statistically significant.
Result: In our finding the magnitude of induced abortion was 32(18.2%). Unwanted pregnancy [AOR=0.28 (95%CI (0.87-0.89)], utilizing of family planning [AOR=7.4 (95%CI) (2.7-20.3)], maternal illness in the last one month [AOR=4.28 (95%CI) (1.27- 15.1)] were statistically significant factors associated with induced abortion.
Conclusion: This study had shown the undeniable fact that the problem of induced abortion was still the highest as compared with previous studies. Majority of induced abortion was the result of unwanted pregnancy. Federal ministry of health in collaboration with different stake holders had better work on strengthening comprehensive reproductive health education, particularly on the consequences of abortion.
