Post abortion care utilization and associated factors among women of reproductive age in Lira city. A cross-sectional study.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71020/jwhr.v2i8.70Keywords:
Abortion care service utilization, Women of reproductive age, Lira City, Lira UniversityAbstract
Background
PAC is an effective intervention for decreasing maternal mortality and morbidity owing to abortion. PAC Services are services offered by the healthcare professionals to women who have had an abortion to prevent complications related to Abortion. This study aimed to assess the level of PAC service utilization among women of reproductive age in Lira City.
Methods
This was a quantitative cross-sectional study done among women of reproductive age in Lira City. A total of 335 women were recruited by multistage sampling. The data was collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. Ethical approval was obtained. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.
Results
(66%) had attained basic education, and about 61.5% of the participants were single. The majority (62.6%) of the participants were employed in various types of jobs with average monthly income ranging from 5,000 to 50000 (Ugx). The prevalence of abortion among participants was 31.3%. Out of 31.3% (105) participants who had an abortion, 60% (63) sought PAC, while 40% (42) did not think of seeking any care. About those who sought help, most 31(9.3%) sought professional help from the hospital, and most 29(8.7%) sought help from a nurse. The majority, 67 (20%), sought help only once.
Conclusion
Utilization of PAC was found to be high among women of reproductive age in Lira City. This was most likely to be done by married women as a result of support from husbands and the community.
Recommendations
Communities should be sensitized about PAC services and their importance in reducing complications of abortion, such as infections, infertility, severe bleeding, and mortality as a result of unsafe abortion.
References
Ahinkorah, B. O. (2021). Intimate partner violence against adolescent girls and young women and its association with miscarriages, stillbirths, and induced abortions in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from demographic and health surveys. SSM - Population Health, 13, 100730. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100730
Bizuneh, A. D., & Azeze, G. G. (2021). Post-abortion family planning use, method preference, and its determinant factors in Eastern Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic Reviews, 10(1), 172. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01731-4
Campbell, O. M. R., Aquino, E. M. L., Vwalika, B., & Gabrysch, S. (2016). Signal functions for measuring the ability of health facilities to provide abortion services: An illustrative analysis using a health facility census in Zambia. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 16(1), 105. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-016-0872-5
Cleeve, A. (2019). Post abortion care in Uganda: Improving access and quality of care through task sharing and exploring the perspectives of young women and healthcare providers. Inst för kvinnors och barns hälsa / Dept of Women’s and Children’s Health. http://openarchive.ki.se/xmlui/handle/10616/46753
Cleeve, A., Oguttu, M., Ganatra, B., Atuhairwe, S., Larsson, E. C., Makenzius, M., Klingberg-Allvin, M., Paul, M., Kakaire, O., Faxelid, E., Byamugisha, J., & Gemzell-Danielsson, K. (2016). Time to act—Comprehensive abortion care in East Africa. The Lancet Global Health, 4(9), e601–e602. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(16)30136-X
Faúndes, A., & Miranda, L. (2017). Ethics surrounding the provision of abortion care. Best Practice & Research Clinical Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 43, 50–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2016.12.005
Gebremedhin, M., Semahegn, A., Usmael, T., & Tesfaye, G. (2018). Unsafe abortion and associated factors among reproductive-aged women in Sub-Saharan Africa: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. Systematic Reviews, 7(1), 130. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-018-0775-9
Izugbara, C., Wekesah, F. M., Sebany, M., Echoka, E., Amo-Adjei, J., & Muga, W. (2020). Availability, accessibility, and utilization of post-abortion care in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review. Health Care for Women International, 41(7), 732–760. https://doi.org/10.1080/07399332.2019.1703991
Mcharo, E. (2016). Factors Associated With Utilization of Post-abortion Care (Pac) Services in Tanzania: A Case Study of Temeke District of Dar Es Salaam [Thesis, University of Nairobi]. http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/100314
Nazziwa, W. (2018). Quality of Post Abortion Care Services in Public Health Facilities in Kampala, Uganda [Thesis]. http://makir.mak.ac.ug/handle/10570/7311
Ngalame, A. N., Tchounzou, R., Neng, H. T., Mangala, F. G. N., Inna, R., Kamdem, D. M., Moustapha, B., Dohbit, J. S., Kongnyuy, E. J., Noa, C. N., Lenka, B., Halle, G. E., Mwadjie, D. W., Delvaux, T., & Mboudou, E. T. (2020). Improving Post Abortion Care (PAC) Delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Literature Review. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 10(9), 1295–1306. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojog.2020.1090119
Nsemo, A. D., Ojong, I. N., Ohemeng-Dapaah, V., Ansong, C. A., Limpinley, A., & Bofa, A. (2021). KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF POST-ABORTION CARE BY MIDWIVES IN SELECTED PRIMARY HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN ASHANTI REGION, GHANA. Medical Research Archives, 9(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v9i1.2326
Park, C., Kang, M.-Y., Kim, D., Park, J., Eom, H., & Kim, E.-A. (2017). Prevalence of abortion and adverse pregnancy outcomes among working women in Korea: A cross-sectional study. PLOS ONE, 12(8), e0182341. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0182341
Paul, M., Gemzell-Danielsson, K., Kiggundu, C., Namugenyi, R., & Klingberg-Allvin, M. (2014). Barriers and facilitators in the provision of post-abortion care at the district level in central Uganda – a qualitative study focusing on task sharing between physicians and midwives. BMC Health Services Research, 14(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-14-28
Sully, E. A., Atuyambe, L., Bukenya, J., Whitehead, H. S., Blades, N., & Bankole, A. (2018). Estimating abortion incidence among adolescents and differences in postabortion care by age: A cross-sectional study of postabortion care patients in Uganda. Contraception, 98(6), 510–516.
Sully, E., Atuyambe, L., Bukenya, J., Blades, N., & Bankole, A. (2017). Exploring disadvantages in abortion care and morbidity among adolescents: A study of abortion and post-abortion care in Uganda. 2017 International Population Conference.
Wang, H., Liu, Y., & Xiong, R. (2020). Factors associated with seeking post-abortion care among women in Guangzhou, China. BMC Women’s Health, 20(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-020-00980-0
Yogi, A., K.C., P., & Neupane, S. (2018). Prevalence and factors associated with abortion and unsafe abortion in Nepal: A nationwide cross-sectional study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 18(1), 376. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-018-2011-y
Zemene, A., Feleke, A., Alemu, A., Abyu, G., & Aregay, A. (2014). Factors Influencing Utilization of Post Abortion Care in Selected Governmental Health Institutions, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Family Medicine & Medical Science Research, 03. https://doi.org/10.4172/2327-4972.1000115
Nazziwa, W. (2018). Quality of Post Abortion Care Services in Public Health Facilities in Kampala, Uganda.
Tran, N. T., Greer, A., Dah, T., Malilo, B., Kakule, B., Morisho, T. F., . . . Meyers, J. (2021). Strengthening healthcare providers’ capacity for safe abortion and post-abortion care services in humanitarian settings: lessons learned from the clinical outreach refresher training model (S-CORT) in Uganda, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Conflict and Health, 15(1), 1-12.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of World Health Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in any of our journals retain the copyright to their work but agree to grant Burundi Publishing the right of first publication. All articles are published under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. This promotes transparency and fosters wide dissemination of the research.
