Nigerian Health Professionals' Perceptions About Abortion Practice

This study examines the perceptions of health professionals about abortion practice in Nigeria. The data are obtained from a 1996 survey among health professionals. The sample included 67 doctors nurses midwives and chemists who were considered knowledgeable about abortion practices. 66% were from rural and urban areas of states in Nigeria. An effort was made to select chiefs of obstetrics and gynecology in major hospitals and clinics private-practice obstetricians and gynecologists government officials representatives of womens groups academics researching the subject and activists in nongovernmental organizations. Results are presented for each of the 4 health zones in the northeast (18 persons) northwest (23) southeast (11) and southwest (15) or north and south regions. 51% of respondents were medical professionals including 43% who were physicians and 8% who were nurses. 66% had abortion experience in the public sector and 34% had experience in the private sector. 58% had experience in their practice in public hospitals 32% had experience in private hospitals and 22% had a private office practice. 33% had experience outside the workplace and in youth programs or counseling programs. Health care facilities are poorer and less available in rural areas but about 50% had experience for 6 or more months in rural areas. 42% had medical degrees. Respondents believed that abortions were obtained from a physician a midwife or nurse traditional providers with no formal medical training or were self-performed using drugs or other means. About 66% of abortion users were expected to have suffered medical complications and almost 20% were expected to have been hospitalized. Urban women and wealthy women were viewed as more likely to have had a safe abortion. The lowest cost of an abortion was estimated to be equivalent to the cost of one persons basic meals for 2 days.