Voluntary Induced Abortion in Cameroon: Prevalence, Reasons, and Complications - Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

OJOG > Vol.5 No.9, August 2015

Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Volume 5, Issue 9 (August 2015)

ISSN Print: 2160-8792 ISSN Online: 2160-8806

Google-based Impact Factor: 0.37 Citations h5-index & Ranking

Voluntary Induced Abortion in Cameroon: Prevalence, Reasons, and Complications ()

HTML XML

Download as PDF (Size: 385KB) PP. 475-480

DOI: 10.4236/ojog.2015.59069 3,430 Downloads 5,716 Views Citations

Author(s)

Jean Dupont Kemfang Ngowa^1,2*, Humphry Tatah Neng², Joel Fokom Domgue², Christiane Jivir Nsahlai², Jean Marie Kasia^1,2

Affiliation(s)

¹Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit, Yaoundé General Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, Ya-oundé, Cameroon.

ABSTRACT

In Cameroon, induced abortion is permitted when a woman’s life is at risk, to preserve her physical and mental health and on the grounds of rape or incest. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, reasons and complications of voluntary induced abortion among women attending the obstetrics and gynecology services in an urban area, Yaoundé and in a rural area, Wum in Cameroon. Methods: We carried out a cross sectional study, with 509 women recruited between August 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 in three health facilities in Cameroon. We appreciated the frequency, complications and reasons for Voluntary induced abortions. Results: The prevalence of voluntary induced abortion was 26.3% (134/509) globally; 25.6% (65/254) in urban area and 27.1% (69/255) in rural area. One hundred and eleven (83%) cases of induced abortions were carried out in a health structure and 23 (17%) cases in private homes. Medical doctors and nurses were the most frequent abortion providers in both urban (84.7%) as well as rural setting (77.2%). The three main reasons for induced abortion were to pursue their studies (34.3%), not yet married (22.6%) and fear of parents (13.9%). Complications were reported by 20% (27/134) of respondents who had carried out voluntary induced abortion. Excessive bleeding was the most reported complication (70.4%). Conclusion: Despite its illegality in Cameroon, the prevalence of voluntary induced abortion was high in this study.

KEYWORDS

Induced Abortion, Unsafe Abortion, Voluntary Abortion, Voluntary Induced Abortion

Share and Cite:

Ngowa, J. , Neng, H. , Domgue, J. , Nsahlai, C. and Kasia, J. (2015) Voluntary Induced Abortion in Cameroon: Prevalence, Reasons, and Complications. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 5, 475-480. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2015.59069.

Cited by

[1]	Utilization of abortion services from an unsafe provider and associated factors among women with history of induced abortion in Ghana
	BMC …, 2022

[2]	Teenage pregnancy and timing of first marriage in Cameroon—What has changed over the last three decades, and what are the implications?
	Plos one, 2022

[3]	Women's knowledge of the legality of abortion and other determinants of abortion safety among women in Ghana: An Analysis of 2007 and 2017 Maternal …
	2022

[4]	Pratique de l¶ avortement provoqué clandestinement: Dynamiques de libéralisation «officieuse» d¶ une pratique socio sanitaire dans la ville de Yaoundé
	Faire sortir la grossesse …, 2022

[5]	Teenage Mothers in Yaoundé, Cameroon—Risk Factors and Prevalence of Perinatal Depression Symptoms
	Journal of clinical …, 2021

[6]	An assessment of post-abortion care in the Douala Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Cameroon.
	GSJ, 2020

[7]	Improving Post Abortion Care (PAC) Delivery in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Literature Review
	2020

[8]	Magnitude of Induced Abortion and Associated Factors among Female Students of Hawassa University, Southern Region, Ethiopia, 2019
	2020

[9]	Determinants of Choice of Abortion Methods among Women in Ghana; Does Knowledge on legality of Abortion Matter?
	2020

[10]	La chercheure à l'épreuve de l'assimilation à son objet d'étude: pratiques d'enquête sur la pilule contraceptive d'urgence au Cameroun
	2020

[11]	Motivos que levam as mulheres a optarem por uma interrupção voluntária da gravidez: uma scoping review
	2019

[12]	" MOTIVOS QUE LEVAM AS MULHERES A OPTAREM POR UMA INTERRUPÇÃO VOLUNTÁRIA DA GRAVIDEZ: UMA SCOPING REVIEW".
	2019

[13]	Abortion practices among women in Buea: a socio-legal investigation
	2019

[14]	Contraceptive use and determinants of unmet need for family planning; a cross sectional survey in the North West Region, Cameroon
	2018

[15]	NEEDS ASSESSMENT ON SAFE ABORTION ADVOCACY
	Cameroon Country Report, 2018

[16]	Illegals abortions and utero-digestives lesions: retrospective study of 12 cases in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Treichville teaching hospital …
	2017

[17]	Reasons Given for Abortions
	2017

[18]	Small bowel exteriorisation after uterine perforation from manual vacuum aspiration for abortion in a young cameroonian: a case report
	The Pan African medical journal, 2016

Journals Menu

Follow SCIRP

	+1 323-425-8868
	customer@scirp.org
	+86 18163351462(WhatsApp)
	1655362766

	Paper Publishing WeChat

Journals Menu

Home

About SCIRP

Service

Policies