Unsafe Induced Abortions Among Adolescent Girls in Lusaka
Abstract
Our aim in this study was to describe adolescent girls' circumstances underlying the decision to resort to unsafe induced abortions. Thirty-four Zambian girls aged 13 to 19 years admitted to University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka were interviewed using a semistructured questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions. Results revealed that most of the girls were single, in school, reached higher grades, mainly nulliparous, and had very low knowledge of contraceptive use. Reasons given for performing unsafe abortions were fear of facing personal shame and social stigma following premarital pregnancies, such as parental disapproval, abandonment by partner, and expulsion from school. A blend of traditional and modern methods and medicines were used to abort. Limited access to contraception and the stigma attached to premarital pregnancies and abortions are likely to continue to compel girls to rely on clandestine abortions if comprehensive adolescent reproductive health services are not provided. The necessity to give adolescent girls more attention and advocacy is obvious.
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If a qualified person trained in surgical procedures performs the abortion, they may use vacuum aspiration or dilatation and curettage.
“If it is a qualified person who has received training in surgical procedures, he or she may use either vacuum aspiration or dilatation and curettage to terminate the pregnancy (16,20).”
From Unsafe abortion and postabortion care - an overview (2011) · cites this paper as [20]
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Unsafe abortion and postabortion care - an overview
RASCH, V. (2011) · Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0412.2011.01165.x · Cited by 94 · see citing works
Pregnancy loss: spontaneous and induced abortions among young women in Lusaka, Zambia
Dahlbäck, E., Maimbolwa, M., Yamba, C. B., Kasonka, L., Bergström, S., & Ransjö-Arvidson, A.-B. (2010) · Culture, Health & Sexuality · doi:10.1080/13691050903353383 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Dahlbäck, E., Maimbolwa, M., Kasonka, L., Bergström, S., & Ransjö-Arvidson, A.-B.
- Affiliations
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- University of Zambia (ZM)
- University Teaching Hospital (ZM)
- Venue
- Health Care for Women International
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2007-08-02
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 654-676
- ISSN
- 0739-9332 (ISSN-L)
- 1096-4665
- OpenAlex
- W2121414328
- Cited by
- 41
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 2.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Health Care For Women International (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Health and Contraception
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › International Human Rights and Reproductive Law
- Keywords
- adolescent girls, premarital pregnancy, social stigma, contraceptive knowledge, contraceptive access, illegal abortion, adolescent reproductive health services, Lusaka
- MeSH terms
- Abortion, Induced, Adolescent, Adolescent Behavior, Adult, Contraception Behavior, Cultural Characteristics, Fear, Female, Humans, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Pregnancy, Pregnancy in Adolescence, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Perception, Socioeconomic Factors, Zambia, Women's Health
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