Abortion: the Case of Chenard Ward, Korle Bu from 2000 to 2001

Abstract

This paper examines the number of abortion cases attended to in the Chenard Ward of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra during the years 2000 and 2001. A total of 1,935 abortion cases were handled in the year 2000 and 1,838 in 2001. Though there was a 5% decrease in the number of cases in 2001, there was an increase in ‘incomplete abortions', which happened to be the most frequent, 78% and 83% in 2000 and 2001 respectively. The majority of the abortions were found among women in the age bracket 21-30: 58% in 2000 and 55% in 2001. There were also 63 (3.3%) and 42 (2.3%) abortions in 2000 and 2001 respectively between the ages of 41 and 50 years. These figures call for the intensification of the campaign for safer sex practices, family planning and the teaching that there is good care for those that call to the hospital early enough.


(Institute of African Studies Research Review: 2003 19(1): 57-66)