Complicated induced abortion in Sagamu, Nigeria
Sule-Odu, A.O.; Olatunji, A.O.; Akindele, R.A.
Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology the Journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 22(1): 58-61
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0144-3615 PMID: 12521731 DOI: 10.1080/01443610120101745Document Number: 234184
A review of cases of induced abortion managed at Ogun State University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, between January 1988 and December 1997 is presented. 102 cases were treated for various complaints and complications of induced abortion during the period of review. The mean age in years was 24.6+or-5.8. The groups 20-24 years, 15-19 years and 25-29 years constituted 39.2%, 23.5% and 18.6%, respectively with 1.7+or-1.8 mean parity. 38.2%, 30.4% and 17.6% were para zero, 2-4 and 1, respectively. 51% of the patients were single. 34.3%, 15.7% and 2.0% of the patients had had one, 2 and 3 induced abortions before. 45.1% of the patients refused to disclose where and who performed the abortion, while 31.4%, 10.8% and 7.8% of the abortions were carried out by physicians, quacks and nurses. 45.1% of the patients had the abortion at the gestational age of 13-24 weeks, while 26.5% waited for 10 days and over after the abortions before seeking medical help. 36.8% and 26.3% of operators in fatal cases were physicians and nurses, respectively. The mean admission interval after abortion for fatal cases was 11.1+or-3.2 days and 4.0+or-3.5 days for other cases that survived and the difference was significant (t=8.0930; P<0.001). 85.3% had never used any form of contraception. 79.4%, 61.8% and 6.9% of the patients presented with bleeding per vagina, abdominal pains and fever, respectively. The most common complications were anaemia (56.9%), haemorrhages (46.1%), sepsis (33.3%) and maternal death (18.6%). The maternal mortality ratio was 18 627.5/100 000. The difference between maternal mortality ratio due to abortion and the general population (1578.9) was statistically significant ( chi 2=126.4281, P<0.001). Suction aspiration (76.5%) and exploratory laparatomy (9.8%) were the most common operations performed. The findings in this series further highlight the urgent need to eliminate or reduce substantially the factors responsible for septic induced abortion.