MAGNITUDE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF ABORTION AMONG REGULAR FEMALE STUDENTS OF SAMARA UNIVERSITY, AFAR, ETHIOPIA, 2016
Abstract
Background: Abortion is one of the leading causes of maternal deaths in Ethiopia. University youths are disproportionately affected by the consequences of unsafe abortion. It is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality and morbidity in the world. Hundreds of thousands of students become pregnant without intention, and many of them decide to end the pregnancies into abortion. University students are more susceptible to risky sexual exposures and unwanted pregnancies; therefore the objective of this study was, to assess the magnitude and factors associated with abortion among Samara University students.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among Samara University students by using self-administered questionnaire. Multi-stage cluster sampling was employed to select a total of 509 female students.
Results: very worrying magnitude of abortion was relieved. The rate of abortion was found to be 88 per 1000 students, making fourfold of the national rate of abortion for Ethiopia (23/1000 women aged 15–44). Virtually all of the abortions were induced and only 50% were reported to be safe. Alcohol use, Participation in Youth Friendly Services, having multiple sexual partners and using emergency contraceptive were found to be statistically significant. Alcohol use was found to have statistically significant association with Abortion; those students who ever had alcohol have 5.5 times more likelihood of having Abortion than their counterparts 95% CI (1.9 – 16.02). Similarly, student who did not participate in Youth-friendly services were more likely to have abortion compared to students who participate in youth-friendly services 95% CI 0.19 [0.01, 0.33]
Conclusions: The rate of abortion among Samara University Students was higher as compared to all Abortion study rates elsewhere. It amounted four times as high as the rate for the general population in Ethiopia. Even higher rates of abortion might be detected by use of more robust methods. Moreover, alarmingly higher proportions of abortions (77.8%) were performed or initiated under unsafe circumstances. It is imperative that improved sexual reproductive health education; with focus on safe and legal abortion services should be rendered and wider availability of Youth Friendly Services where young men and women congregate.
Downloads
References
2. World Health Organization. Abortion: a tabulation of available data on the frequency and mortality of unsafe abortion. 2nd edition. WHO/FHE/MSM/93. Geneva, 1994
3. World Health Organization (WHO). Unsafe Abortion: Global and Regional Unsafe abortion: global and regionalestimates of the incidence of unsafe abortion and associated mortality in 2003. 5th ed. Geneva: WHO; 2007. http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2007/9789241596121_eng.pdf.
4. From concept to measurement: operationalizing WHO’s definition ofunsafe abortion. 2014. Bull World Health Organ 2014; 92:155. www.who.int/bulletin/olumes/92/3/14-136333.pdf
5. Ethiopian Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ESOG). survey of unsafe abortion in health facilities in Ethiopia. 4th east, central and southern African
Association of Obstetrical and Gynecological Societies Conference. Addis Ababa, November 25-28, 2001: 5-6.) 2008
6. Elias S, Getu D, Nuru A etal. Prevalence and associated risk factors of Induced Abortion in northwest Ethiopia: March 2003.
7. Abraham Y. Abortion law in Ethiopia. May 18, 2011.
8. Jones RK, Kavanaugh ML: Changes in Abortion Rates between 2000 and 2008 and Lifetime Incidence of Abortion. Obstet Gynecol 2011, 117(6):1358–1366.
9. Kozinszky Z, Boda K, Bártfai GY: Determinants of abortion among women undergoing artificial termination of pregnancy. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care 2001, 6(3):145 152.
10. Mahlet T, Morankar S: Knowledge Attitude and Practice of induced abortion and its outcome among regular female students in Jimma University, Ethiopia, Master's Thesis. Jimma University, School of Public Health; 2008.
11. Gebrehiwot Y, Tippawan L: Trends of abortion complications in a transition of abortion law revisions in Ethiopia [Abstract]. Journal of Public Health (oxf) 2008:1–7. 10.1093/pubmed/fdn068.
12. Singh S, Fetters T, Gebreselassie H, Abdella A, Gebrehiwot Y, Kumbi S, Audam S: The Estimated Incidence of Induced Abortion in Ethiopia, 2008. IntPerspect Sex Reprod Health 2010, 36(1):16–25.
13. Elias Senbeto, Getu Degu Alene, Nuru Abesno, Hailu Yeneneh Prevalence and associated risk factors of induced abortion in northwest Ethiopia, Ethiop.J.Health Dev. 2005;19(1)
14. Gelaye et al.: Magnitude and risk factors of abortion among regular female students in WolaitaSodo University, Ethiopia. BMC Women's Health 2014 14:50.)
15. Geleto and Markos awareness of female students attending higher educational institutions toward legalization of safe abortion and associated factors in Harari region, eastern Ethiopia. Reproductive Health (2015) 12:19)
16. Selam Desalegn et al. /knowledge, attitude, and factors associated with safe abortion among first-year students in Mekelle University, Tigray, Ethiopia. International Journal of Pharma Sciences and Research (IJPSR) Vol 6 No 01 Jan 2015)
17. Neema Mamboleo, unwanted pregnancy, and induced abortion among female youths: a case study of the temeke district, November 2012nigeria (unpublished)
18. GezahegnTesfaye et al. Induced Abortion and Associated Factors in Health Facilities of Guraghe Zone, Southern Ethiopia, Journal of Pregnancy, Volume 2014,
19. Hamdela B, G/mariam A, Tilahun T (2012) Unwanted Pregnancy and Associated Factors among Pregnant Married Women in Hosanna Town, Southern Ethiopia. PLoS ONE 7(6)
20. Bankole A, Singh S, Haas T. Reasons why women have induced abortions: evidence from 27 countries. Int Fam Plann Perspect 1998; 24: 117– 27.
21. Shah I, Ahman E. Age patterns of unsafe abortion in developing country regions. Reprod Health Matters 2004; 12: 9–17
