INDICATIONS FOR INDUCED ABORTIONS SOUGHT BY PATIENTS: A STUDY CARRIED OUT IN A LARGE TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OVER THE PERIOD 2005-2006
Keywords:
cantonment area, women seeking, signifies voluntaryAbstract
The present study was a cross sectional study carried out in a tertiary care service hospital of Pune, which caters mainly armed forces persons and civilian population living in and around cantonment area. Cases for the present study include mainly retrospective and few prospective cases. A total of 113 cases of induced abortions were studied during the above-mentioned period. Maximum incidence of induced abortion was seen in the age group 25-35 years (n=71, 62.8%) followed by age group 15-25 yrs (n=37, 32.7%) and 35-45 yrs (n=5, 4.4%). Majority of women seeking abortion in the study were hindu (n=103, 91%) followed by Muslim (n=6, 5.3%), Sikhs (n=3) and Christian (n=1).Maximum women reported for abortion during 6-12 weeks (n=71, 62.8%), followed by less than 6 weeks (n=23, 20.4%) and 12-20 weeks (n=14, 12.4%). Majority of abortion seekers in the study had parity two (n=46, 40.7%) followed by parity one (n=22, 19.5%) and primigravida (n=19, 16.8%). Planned Parenthood (n=81, 71.7%) was the most common reason for seeking abortion by women. Cervical dilatation followed by suction and evacuation (n=84, 74.3%) was the most common method employed for inducing abortion, followed by misoprostol suppositories (n=18, 15.9%) dilatation and curettage (n=8, 7%) and menstrual regulation (n=3, 2.7%).
References
World Health Organization. Preventing maternal deaths. WHO: Geneva, 1989; 4–35.
Potts M: Abortion and contraception in relation to Family Planning Services. In: Hodgston JE, editor. Abortion and Sterilization: Medical and Social aspects. London Academic Press; 1981; 83.
Department of Family Welfare. Year Book 1992-93. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; Govt. of India, 1994.
Dhillon B.S., Chandhiok N., Kambo I., Saxena N. C. Induced abortion and concurrent adoption of contraceptives in the rural areas of India. Indian Journal of Medical Sciences. 2004; 58 (11): 478–84.
Ganatra B. Hirve S. Induced abortions among adolescent women in rural Maharashtra. Reproductive Health Matters. 2002a;10(19): 76-85.
Khokhar A., Gulati N. Profile of Induced Abortions in Women from an Urban Slum of Delhi. Indian Journal of Community Medicine. 2000; 25(4): 177–80.
Varkey P., Balakrishna P.P., Prasad J.H., Abraham S., Joseph A. the reality of unsafe abortion in a rural community in South India. Reprod Health Matters. 2000; 8(16): 83–91.
Baskara N., Kanbargi R. Legal abortion in an Indian State. Estud Poblac 1978 Jul-Dec;3(7-12):93–101. 9. Ganatra B. Abortion research in India: What we know, and what we need to know. In R. Ramasubban and S.J. Jejeebhoy, eds., Women’s Reproductive Health in India: 2000 186-235. Jaipur: Rawat Publications. 10. Bose S Abortions: a clinical review of 1217 cases. J Obstet Gynaecol India 1959; 10 (1): 56–61.
George S., Dhaiya R. Female foeticide in rural Haryana. Economic and Political Weekly, 1998; 33(32): 2191–97.
Ganatra B.R., Hirve S.S, Rao V.N. Sex-selective abortions: Evidence from a community-based study in western India. AsiaPacific Population Journal, 2000; 16(2): 109–24.
Khanna, S. Traditions and reproductive technology in an urbanizing north Indian village. Social Science and Medicine 1997; 44(2): 171–80.
Verma S., Bracken H., Elul B. Sex selective abortions in Rajasthan, India, 2003; unpublished.
Sood M., Juneja Y., Goyal U. Maternal mortality and morbidity associated with clandestine abortions. Journal of the IndianMedical Association, 1995; 93(2): 77–79.
Elul B., Barge S., Verma S. et al. Unintended Pregnancy and abortion: A community based study in Rajsthan- Summary Report. New Delhi: Population Council. 2003(forthcoming).
Malhotra A., Parasuraman S., Nyblade L. et al. Realizing Reproductive Choices and Rights: Abortion and Contraception in India. International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW). 2003.