Induced abortion and prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases and contraceptive behavior in abortion cases, Gambella Hospital, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

A descriptive prospective study to know the prevalence of induced abortion and STDs and contraceptive behavior, was conducted on patients admitted to gynecology ward in Gambella hospital, South West Ethiopia, from June 1997 through May 1998. Seventy Percent (N-167) of the patients were cases of abortion of which 35.7% and 64.3% were cases of induced and spontaneous abortion respectively. Patients with induced abortion were younger (P-value<0.05) and were more likely to be single as compared to patients with spontaneous abortion. Most of the patients with induced abortion were with secondary education (46%) while most with spontaneous abortion were illiterate (84.2%) and housewives (64.8%). More complications were observed in induced abortion patients and pelvic infection was the most frequent one (41.6%). Metallic materials were common instruments of interference (44.8%). Fourteen (12.2%) of the abortion patients had history of STDs in the past with no statistically significant difference between induced and spontaneous abortion cases. Sixty-nine percent of abortion patients had knowledge about at least one method of modern contraceptives, of whom induced abortion cases had significantly more knowledge than spontaneous abortion cases (P-value <0.05) and the pill was most frequently known. More than half (57%) of patients who had the knowledge never used any contraceptive method. Sex education, cultural modification, and accessing and improving health facilities are recommended.