EC Nursing and Healthcare

Research Article Volume 5 Issue 4 - 2022

Assessment of the Causes and Effects of Induced Abortion among Women of Reproductive Age

Oluwaseun R Omole1, Edmund O Ezirim2, Isaiah O Abali3, Patricia I Ejikem4, Debra U Okeh5, Lisa I Eweputanna6, Olufunmi AI Otuka3, Folasade Bello7 and Augustine I Airaodion8*

1Department of Community Health Nursing, West African College of Nursing and Midwifery, Lagos State, Nigeria

2Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria

3Department of Surgery, Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria

4Department of Community Medicine, Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, Nigeria

5Department of Community Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria

6Department of Radiology, Abia State University Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria

7School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedic Practice, Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom

8Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author: Augustine I Airaodion, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
Received: March 17, 2023;Published: March 29, 2023



This study was aimed at assessing the causes and effects of induced abortion among women of reproductive age. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Surulere local government area of Oyo State, Nigeria. The researcher used a randomized survey research design for this investigation. The study involved women aged 15 to 49 who met the inclusion requirements. A total of 383 questionnaires were administered to respondents and were all retrieved. Out of these, 370 questionnaires were valid. This was due to irregular, incomplete and inappropriate responses to some questions. These 370 questionnaires were validated for the analysis. The results showed that 78.11% of the respondents had aborted pregnancies in the past with 42.70% aborting once, and 26.49% having aborted twice. The results also showed that 67.84% of the respondents agreed that lack of funds was mainly responsible for women’s engagement in abortion, 83.24% of the respondents agreed that unwanted pregnancy was mainly responsible for women’s engagement in abortion, all the respondents agreed that rape or incest could make a woman abort her pregnancy, 74.32% of the respondents agreed that child spacing could make a woman abort her pregnancy while 72.17% of the study’s population agreed that sex preference can make a woman abort her pregnancy. It was observed that 75.40% of the respondents agreed that induced abortion could lead to death among women, 63.25% of the respondents agreed that abortion could lead to secondary infertility among women, 69.46% of the study’s respondents agreed that abortion could lead to ectopic pregnancy in subsequent pregnancies while 59.46% of the respondents agreed that abortion could cause damage to a woman’s womb. The study’s findings indicated that Nigeria has a very high rate of induced abortion. Unsafe abortion has life-threatening consequences for women, their families, and society as a whole.

Keywords: Abortion; Causes and Effects; Health Complications; Secondary Infertility; Unwanted Pregnancy

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Oluwaseun R Omole., et al. Assessment of the Causes and Effects of Induced Abortion among Women of Reproductive Age. EC Nursing and Healthcare  5.4 (2023): 103-115.

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