RETRACTED ARTICLE: Factors associated with induced abortion in Nepal: data from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional survey
Abstract Background Despite the legalization of abortion services in 2002, unsafe abortion (abortion services conducted by persons lacking necessary skill or in substandard settings or both) continues to be a public health concern in Nepal. There is a lack of national research exploring the characte...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-05-01
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| Series: | Reproductive Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12978-019-0732-7 |
| _version_ | 1818993961150185472 |
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| author | Suresh Mehata Jamie Menzel Navaraj Bhattarai Sharad Kumar Sharma Mukta Shah Erin Pearson Kathryn Andersen |
| author_facet | Suresh Mehata Jamie Menzel Navaraj Bhattarai Sharad Kumar Sharma Mukta Shah Erin Pearson Kathryn Andersen |
| author_sort | Suresh Mehata |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Despite the legalization of abortion services in 2002, unsafe abortion (abortion services conducted by persons lacking necessary skill or in substandard settings or both) continues to be a public health concern in Nepal. There is a lack of national research exploring the characteristics of women who choose to have an abortion. This study assessed abortion in Nepal and its correlates using data from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional survey. Methods We employed data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Sample selection was based on stratified two-stage cluster sampling in rural areas and three-stage sampling in urban areas. The primary outcome is report of induced abortion in the 5 years preceding the survey, as recorded in the pregnancy history. All values were weighted by sample weights to provide population-level estimates. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed using STATA 14 considering cluster sampling design. Results A total of 12,862 women of reproductive age (15–49 years) were interviewed. Overall, 4% (95% CI: 3.41–4.29) reported an abortion within the last 5 years (and less than 1% had had more than one abortion during that time). A higher proportion of women aged 20–34 years (5.7%), women with primary education (5.1%), women aware of abortion legalization (5.5%), and women in the richest wealth quintile (5.4%) had an abortion in the past 5 years. Compared to women aged < 20 years, women aged 20–34 years had higher odds (AOR: 5.54; 95% CI: 2.87–10.72) of having had an abortion in the past 5 years. Women with three or more living children had greater odds (AOR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.51–3.31) of having had an abortion than women with no living children. The odds of having an abortion in the past 5 years increased with each wealth quintile, with the richest wealth quintile having almost three-fold greater odds of having had an abortion. No significant association was observed between having an abortion and the ecological zone and place of residence. Conclusion This nationally representative study shows that abortion is associated with women’s age, knowledge of abortion legality, wealth status, number of living children, and caste/ethnicity. Targeted interventions to young women, those in the poorest wealth quintile, women from Terai caste groups, and those who reside in Province 2 would be instrumental to address disproportional access to abortion services. Overall, strengthening contraceptive provision and abortion education programs would be cornerstone to improving the health of women and girls in Nepal. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:50:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ad552a5f66745a19acaec60bcbc0a67 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1742-4755 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:50:22Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Reproductive Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ad552a5f66745a19acaec60bcbc0a672022-12-21T19:26:56ZengBMCReproductive Health1742-47552019-05-011611810.1186/s12978-019-0732-7RETRACTED ARTICLE: Factors associated with induced abortion in Nepal: data from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional surveySuresh Mehata0Jamie Menzel1Navaraj Bhattarai2Sharad Kumar Sharma3Mukta Shah4Erin Pearson5Kathryn Andersen6Ipas NepalIpas, United StatesIpas NepalMinistry of HealthIpas NepalIpas, United StatesIpas, United StatesAbstract Background Despite the legalization of abortion services in 2002, unsafe abortion (abortion services conducted by persons lacking necessary skill or in substandard settings or both) continues to be a public health concern in Nepal. There is a lack of national research exploring the characteristics of women who choose to have an abortion. This study assessed abortion in Nepal and its correlates using data from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional survey. Methods We employed data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Sample selection was based on stratified two-stage cluster sampling in rural areas and three-stage sampling in urban areas. The primary outcome is report of induced abortion in the 5 years preceding the survey, as recorded in the pregnancy history. All values were weighted by sample weights to provide population-level estimates. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed using STATA 14 considering cluster sampling design. Results A total of 12,862 women of reproductive age (15–49 years) were interviewed. Overall, 4% (95% CI: 3.41–4.29) reported an abortion within the last 5 years (and less than 1% had had more than one abortion during that time). A higher proportion of women aged 20–34 years (5.7%), women with primary education (5.1%), women aware of abortion legalization (5.5%), and women in the richest wealth quintile (5.4%) had an abortion in the past 5 years. Compared to women aged < 20 years, women aged 20–34 years had higher odds (AOR: 5.54; 95% CI: 2.87–10.72) of having had an abortion in the past 5 years. Women with three or more living children had greater odds (AOR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.51–3.31) of having had an abortion than women with no living children. The odds of having an abortion in the past 5 years increased with each wealth quintile, with the richest wealth quintile having almost three-fold greater odds of having had an abortion. No significant association was observed between having an abortion and the ecological zone and place of residence. Conclusion This nationally representative study shows that abortion is associated with women’s age, knowledge of abortion legality, wealth status, number of living children, and caste/ethnicity. Targeted interventions to young women, those in the poorest wealth quintile, women from Terai caste groups, and those who reside in Province 2 would be instrumental to address disproportional access to abortion services. Overall, strengthening contraceptive provision and abortion education programs would be cornerstone to improving the health of women and girls in Nepal.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12978-019-0732-7AbortionService utilizationDemographic health surveyNepal |
| spellingShingle | Suresh Mehata Jamie Menzel Navaraj Bhattarai Sharad Kumar Sharma Mukta Shah Erin Pearson Kathryn Andersen RETRACTED ARTICLE: Factors associated with induced abortion in Nepal: data from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional survey Reproductive Health Abortion Service utilization Demographic health survey Nepal |
| title | RETRACTED ARTICLE: Factors associated with induced abortion in Nepal: data from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional survey |
| title_full | RETRACTED ARTICLE: Factors associated with induced abortion in Nepal: data from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional survey |
| title_fullStr | RETRACTED ARTICLE: Factors associated with induced abortion in Nepal: data from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | RETRACTED ARTICLE: Factors associated with induced abortion in Nepal: data from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional survey |
| title_short | RETRACTED ARTICLE: Factors associated with induced abortion in Nepal: data from a nationally representative population-based cross-sectional survey |
| title_sort | retracted article factors associated with induced abortion in nepal data from a nationally representative population based cross sectional survey |
| topic | Abortion Service utilization Demographic health survey Nepal |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12978-019-0732-7 |
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