Though abortion has been legally available in India for a broad scope of indications since 1972, an estimated 90 percent of induced abortions are still performed illegally. Women with access to fewer resources, for example low-income rural women and adolescents, are among those most likely to have abortion complications resulting from unsafe illegal abortions. Postabortion care is critical to reducing morbidity and mortality from unsafe abortion. To what extent is it available for rural poor populations?
To support the State Innovations in Family Planning Services (IFPS) Project, PRIME/Ipas conducted an innovative study to gain an understanding of how postabortion care is provided and how it can be improved at the village level in rural Uttar Pradesh, India. Uttar Pradesh has among the highest abortion rate estimates in India, coupled with inadequate abortion services at rural health centers. Unsafe abortion and associated complications are considered widespread.
Data collection methods for the study included focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with adolescent females and males, married women and men, and village and referral level health providers. Findings demonstrate a demand for improved postabortion care at the community level. Currently, in terms of emergency care, village level providers delay women from seeking higher level care by treating locally and often not referring to appropriate higher level care. Village level providers offer inadequate contraceptive method choice and insufficient counseling and referral. Study results yield testable strategies of improving postabortion care at the village level in rural Uttar Pradesh and similar settings.
Learning Objectives: Session participants will be able to identify testable strategies of improving postabortion care at community levels in rural developing country settings
Keywords: Post-Abortion Care, India
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.