In many populations, abortion increases during demographic transition. Over the last two decades in Bangladesh the contraceptive prevalence rate has increased from about five percent in the early 1970s to 50 percent in the mid-1990s. Over this same period of time, the incidence of abortion also has increased. However, the results of this study indicate that good family planning (FP) programs can reduce the incidence of abortion.
Typically, reliable data on abortion are not available in developing countries. However the Matlab database in Bangladesh provides information on both the prevalence of abortion and the factors that influence it over time. The Matlab data enables researchers to compare the “treatment” area, where people are offered high-quality, carefully designed services, with the “comparison” area, where comparable populations receive services of less high quality.
Researchers assessed the effects of the availability of higher quality FP services on abortion by analyzing data from the Matlab Health and Demographic Surveillance System and three fertility surveys. Abortion rates are low, although they have increased over the last 20 years. However, abortion rates increased less in the “treatment” area than in the “comparison” area. In both areas the abortion ratio was 1.5 per 100 live births in 1982. By 1997, the ratio had increased to sevem in the “comparison” area, but only three in the “treatment” area. Moreover, the incidence of abortion has begun to decline in the treatment area, but not in the comparison area, indicating that better FP services reduce the number of abortions.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to: 1) Identify programmatic, social, and behavioral factors associated with abortion behavior in Matlab. 2) Discuss the methodological aspects of analyzing abortion. 3) Articulate the policy implications of the research findings
Keywords: Contraception, Abortion
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.