Abstract : In March 1994, more than 100 specialists from family planning associations (FPAs) and ministries of health participated in the IPPF-supported Conference on Unsafe Abortion and Post-Abortion Family Planning in Africa (sub-Saharan Africa) in Gran' Baie, Mauritius. It was designed to help FPAs and governments confront the public health and social problems caused by unsafe abortion. Topics discussed in the working groups were abortion and postabortion family planning services, role of support services in abortion and postabortion family planning services, counseling and contraceptive needs, and reducing the number of unsafe abortions. Working groups developed strategies and action plans to reduce the incidence of unsafe abortion in Africa. The estimated unsafe abortion rate in Africa is 23/1000 women aged 15-49, ranging from 12 in Middle Africa to 31 in Eastern Africa. In Nigeria, 50% of all maternal deaths are related to abortion. In Kenya, insertion of foreign bodies/instruments is the most common abortion method. In Benin, most abortion patients are married (70.5%) and Catholic (58.7%). No African country provides abortion on demand. Botswana, Ghana, and Zambia have the most liberal abortion laws (abortion allowed for social and sociomedical reasons). In countries where abortion services are legal, FPAs can produce a list of sympathetic health personnel, conduct a follow-up on women who have been denied safe abortion services, document where safe abortion services are withheld from some population groups, promote the use of newer abortion techniques, and provide training in safe abortion techniques. Many donor and technical cooperating agencies have made commitments and implemented initiatives to bring about safe abortion and postabortion family planning services in Africa, such as Family Health International and Johns Hopkins University's Center for Communication Programs.
Source : Source Popline : http://db.jhuccp.org/popinform/basic.html - PIP 100699.