Comparison Of Women Having Clandestine And Hospital Abortions: Maputo, Mozambique

In Mozambique a Ministry of Health decree since 1981 allows public hospitals to carry out abortions if pregnancy results from contraceptive failure or places a woman's health or life at risk. As a result, the number of hospital abortions has increased and the number of women attending hospital for complications of clandestine abortion has decreased. Nevertheless, clandestine abortions continue to cause maternal deaths and morbidity. This study compared women attending the main hospital in Maputo for complications of clandestine abortion and those having an induced abortion in the hospital. Most of those in the first group were young and primigravida, had experienced fewer abortions and lived in poorer socio-economic conditions. Fewer had a steady partner, were more frequently recent migrants to Maputo, and had lower knowledge and use of contraceptives. To reduce the number of illegal abortions and their consequences, governmental programmes should aim to make contraceptive and abortion services more available and accessible, particularly to young, unmarried women of low socio-economic status.59108115Ladipo, O.A., Preventing and managing complications of induced abortion in Third World countries (1989) International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics., (3 SUPPL.), pp. 21-28Megafu, U.B., Ozumba, B.C., Morbidity and mortality from induced illegal abortion at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu: A five year review (1991) International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 34, pp. 163-167Adewole, I.F., Trends in post-abortal mortality and morbidity in Ibadan, Nigeria (1992) International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 38, pp. 115-118Rogo, K., Induced abortion in Africa (1990) Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, , TorontoPaxman, J.M., Rizo, A., Brown, L., The clandestine epidemic: The practice of unsafe abortion in Latin America (1993) Studies in Family Planning, 24, pp. 205-226Tietze, C., Henshaw, S., (1986) Induced Abortion: A World Review. 6th Edition, , Alan Guttmacher Institute, New YorkPotts, M., Wood, C., (1972) Introduction of New Concepts in Contraception, , University Park Press, BaltimoreHord, C., David, H.P., Donnay, F., Reproductive health in Romania: Reversing the Ceausescu legacy (1991) Studies in Family Planning, 22, pp. 231-240Stephenson, P., Wagner, M., Badea, M., Commentary: The public health consequences of restricted induced abortion - Lessons from Romania (1992) American Journal of Public Health, 82, pp. 1328-1331Faúndes, A., Bedone, A., Pinto E Silva, J.L., I Forum Interprofessional para Implementação do Atendimento ao Aborto Previsto na Lei. Relatorio Final (1997) Femina, 25 (1), pp. 69-78Khan, M.L., Barge, S., Phylip, B., Abortion in India - An overview (1996) Sociocultural and Political Aspects of Abortion from An Anthropological Perspective. IUSSP Seminar, , Trivandrum, 25-28 MarchAkhter, H.H., Rider, R.V., Menstrual regulation and contraception in Bangladesh: Competing or complementary? (1984) International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, 22, pp. 137-143Kabir, S.M., Causes and consequences of unwanted pregnancy from an Asian woman's perspective (1989) International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics, (3 SUPPL.), pp. 9-14Castle, M.A., Ukwa, R., Whittaker, M., Observations on abortion in Zambia (1990) Studies in Family Planning, 21, pp. 231-235Machungo, F., Bugalho, A., Granja, A., Mortalidade Materna No Departamento de Obstetrícia e Ginecologia Do HCM, 1990-1994, , Unpublished dataOnionka, Z., Opening address (1978) A Strategy for Abortion Management: Report of An African Regional Workshop, , IPPF, LondonnotenotenoteSundstrom, K., Abortion across social and cultural borders (1994) Sociocultural and Political Aspects of Abortion from An Anthropological Perspective. IUSSP Seminar, , Trivandrum, 25-28 MarchBugalho, A.M.A., (1994) Perfil Epidemiológico, Complicação e Custo Do Aborto Clandestino, Comparação Com Aborto Hospitalar e Parto, Em Maputo, Mozambique, , PhD dissertation. Universidade Estadual de Campinas, CampinasLema, V.M., Kamau, R., Rogo, K., (1989) Epidemiology of Abortion in Kenya, , Center for the Study of Adolescence, Nairob