Utilization of post Abortion contraceptives and associated factors among Women seeking Abortion services at St. Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023

Abstract

Background: Provision of family planning following an abortion service is an important opportunity to address unmet family planning  needs of women and enhance their future reproductive health. In developing countries such as Ethiopia, post abortion family planning continues to be underutilized.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess utilization of post abortion contraceptives and associated  factor among women seeking abortion services at St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Methods: This  cross-sectional study was conducted at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College from April 20, 2023 to May 30, 2023 GC using pre- tested structured questionnaire. Data was collected from all Women of childbearing age having an index pregnancy with GA <28 weeks or  1 kilogram of fetus. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 25.

Results: A total of 276 post-abortion women participated  in the study with a response rate of 93.5%. Among all women included in this study, 207 (75%); used some form of family planning following the index abortion. In the multivariable logistic regression model, unmarried women were 3.4 times more likely to use family  planning compared to widowed/separated ( AOR=3.4; 95% CI=1.51,7.8) and women who had post abortal family planning counseling  were 4 times more likely to use PAFP than those who didn’t receive counseling [AOR=3.99; 95%CI:1.319, 12.109].

Conclusion: This study  shows that post abortion family planning utilization is low. Being unmarried and receiving post abortal family planning counselling were  predictors of post-abortion family planning service utilization.