Hospital-based descriptive study of illegally induced abortion-related mortality and morbidity and its cost on health services.

A study was undertaken in Bangladesh of all women with abortion complications admitted to four hospitals and four health complexes throughout the country during a 1-year period. Specific objectives of the study were 1) to investigate the abortion-related morbidity and mortality in a hospital setting 2) to identify morbidity and mortality risk factors 3) to estimate the cost of treating abortion complications and 4) to check data sources on abortion mortality and morbidity. Data analysis of 1262/1301 cases revealed that the mean duration of gestation was 13 weeks nearly half of the cases were determined to be induced another 17% were possibly induced mean age was 25.6 years 94% were Muslims 52% were rural residents all were married except for 3.8% of the induced abortion cases nearly half of the women and 70% of their husbands were literate and the mean number of living children was 3.4. Ever-use of contraception was reported by 40% of cases and was higher among those who induced abortion. Of the 1301 total cases 18 women who had induced abortion and presented with one or more major complications died. Treatment included surgical procedures in about 75% of the cases blood transfusion in 40% and infusion of plasma expanders in 90%. Risk of fatality was linked to admission with septicemic shock generalized peritonitis and septicemia. The cost of induced abortion was estimated in terms of use of facilities and were found to be greater in women with induced as compared to spontaneous abortion.