Knowledge, Attitude and Practices about Induced Abortions among Women of Child Bearing age at Bahawalpur

Objective: To see the level of Knowledge, attitudes and common practices of women of child bearing age about induced abortions, so as to formulate recommendations for improving the state of affairs. Study design: A Cross sectional, descriptive study Place and duration of study: The study was carried out in out-patient department of Gynae Unit-II of Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH), Bahawalpur from 1st April 2009 to 30th September 2009. Material and methods: Women of child bearing age who had one or more induced abortions seeking advice for any gyneacological problem were included in this study. A questioner was filled for their demographic features and Knowledge, attitudes and practices of women towards induced abortion. Descriptive statistics were used for describing variable. Results: A total 74 women were interviewed. 68% were between 25 to 35 years. 59% were grand multipara, 62% belonged to poor socio-economic status. 6.7% got secondary and above education. More then 95% knew it as a sin & against Islam. Above 60% women wants it to be conducted by skilled person with sterilized instruments. Only 7% don't know any other contraceptive method. 41% husbands don't aware of need of contraception. About 60% husbands knew not more then two methods. 66% females consider it a health risk & 69% aware of failure. 82% induced only once, 39% got pain during it. Chronic pelvic pain, menstrual problems & sepsis occurred in 70%, 80% & 45% women respectively. No-one of them was willing to practice it again. Only 37% husbands always facilitated their wives to opt some contraceptive method. 52% men never practiced any of male contraceptive method. Conclusion: Unsafe abortion constitutes a major threat to health and lives of women. Most of them are multiparous, married at peak of their reproductive life and belong to poor economic status. Most women knew it a sin, & lead to several short and long term morbidities. They are not willing to practice it again, & want easy accessibility to contraception and cooperation of husbands to improve quality of life.