Challenges encountered by women seeking termination of pregnancy services in the North West Province of South Africa

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to identify possible challenges that prevented women from utilising termination of pregnancy services in the North West Province of South Africa. Fifty structured interviews were conducted with conveniently selected women who requested termination of pregnancy services but who could not access these services. Most respondents were younger than 25 years of age, unmarried, unemployed and had only requested one termination of pregnancy. Despite the provision of legal free termination of pregnancy services in the North West Province, some women could not access these services. Challenges that hampered women’s access to termination of pregnancy services included transport costs, nurses’ negative attitudes towards women requesting termination of pregnancy services, lack of privacy, waiting lists for booking women for terminations of pregnancy and women’s lack of knowledge.

Keywords: Abortions, choice on termination of pregnancy, North West Province (NWP),
termination of pregnancy (TOP).