Profile of induced abortions in women from an urban slum of Delhi.

Research question: What are the factors related to women undergoing an induced abortion from a slum of Delhi? Objectives: 1. To study the socio-demographic profile. 2. To study the reasons for procuring an abortion choice of health care provider and reasons for the same. Study design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Out of all the slums of Delhi one was selected randomly. From amongst all the ever married women in the age group of 15-49 years those who had undergone induced abortions ever were included. Participants: 70 women out of the total of 440 ever married women in the reproductive age group who had ever undergone induced abortion were studied. Study variables: Literacy religion gainful employment income family type parity of woman reasons for induced abortions providers of induced abortions reasons for choice of providers husbands response contraceptive use. Statistical analysis: Chi-square test. Results: Out of total of 440 ever married women 70(15.9%) had undergone one or more induced abortions. 31.4% of the women had undergone two or more induced abortions. Maximum (51.4%) of the total induced abortions occurred in the age group of 25-29 years. Women who were gainfully employed were more likely to undergo an induced abortion (p<0.001). 52.08% of the husbands consented to their wives decision to abort and also husbands literacy status was observed to be associated with abortion status of their wives (p<0.01). Unplanned pregnancy was stated as a reason for abortion by 85.7% of the women and low socio-economic status by 71.4%. In 39.58% of the abortions MTP services provided by the government hospitals were availed whereas 18.75% (18) of the total abortions were induced by women themselves. Use of contraception increased from 20.83% before first induced abortion to 58% after the first induced abortion. (authors)