Perception and Practice of Induced Abortion by Married Women in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria
This study investigated the perception and practice of married women in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria towards induced abortion. It is a community-based survey of 120 married women aged 18–45. Using a pretested structured questionnaire, data were obtained through a random sampling method and a simple descriptive statistics and chi square test were performed in SPSS (version 17). The prevalence of induced abortion in the studied population was 43.3% among which 17.5%, 8.3%, 9.2% and 9.2% self-reported they have had induced abortion once, twice, three times and more than three times respectively. As a check on the prevalence, 41.7% of the married women reported knowing a friend who has had an induced abortion before. Although 86.7% of the married women were aware that abortion is illegal in Nigeria; however, 13.3% wanted it legalized. The major reasons married women want abortion legalized were on medical ground (10.8%), social ground (6.7%) and as right of the woman (3.3%). Moral ground (55.8%) was the major reason while married women do not want abortion legalized. Based on the findings of this study, married women know abortion is illegal in Nigerian and do not want it legalized, however, they practise it secretly to avoid unwanted pregnancy. There is therefore the urgent need for the provision of contraceptive counseling and correct information to married women in the study area to reduce the incidence of induced abortion and accompanying complications due to its illegalized nature in Nigeria.
Induced Abortion, Contraceptive, Married Women, Esan, Nigeria
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