Abortion-related deaths in Ile-Ife, Nigeria: a 12-year review

Cases of death due to abortions at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, between January 1977 and September 1988 were reviewed. Abortion accounted for 12.5% of the maternal deaths and the majority (88.9%) were from illegal abortions. The majority (92.6%) of the patients were of low educational status. Both married women and single girls were involved. Instrumentation was employed in 81.5% of the abortions and unqualified personnel were involved in 74.1% of cases of such intervention. Seventeen (63%) of the pregnancies were terminated within the first trimester. Most (96.3%) of the patients were admitted in poor clinical state and 51.8% of them died within 48 h of admission. Sepsis was the commonest cause of death.