Abortion treatment by health professionals in south-eastern Nigeria

Studies assessing the various modes of treatment for abortion and its associated complications remain relevant in the generation of data that will aid policy formulation for abortion management. This descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken to determine the common methods of, together with the complications associated with, abortion treatment among healthcare practitioners in south-eastern Nigeria. There were 230 males and 207 females, with a mean age of 38.23+10.4 years. General practitioners accounted for 214 (49.0%) respondents; nurses, 161 (36.8%); specialist doctors, 56 (12.8%); resident doctors, 5 (1.1%); and community health officers, 1 (0.02%). As high as 388 (88.8%) of the respondents had treated abortion. Manual vacuum aspiration (MVA), and sharp curettage were the commonest methods of treatment accounting for 36.0% and 34.1%, respectively, while medication treatment was employed by 15.0% of the respondents. Only 41.0% of the respondents had been formally trained on the use of MVA. Some 285 (65.2%) of the respondents recorded complications during abortion treatment and these included incomplete evacuation, 30.2%; haemorrhage, 26.0%; and infection, 22.2%. A significantly higher number of complications occurred following sharp metal curretage compared to MVA, and includes incomplete evacuation, 54 (62.5%) vs 33 (38.0%) (p<0.05); and haemorrhage, 32 (43.2%) vs 15 (20.5%) (p<0.05). Syncope, 2 (100%) and uterine perforation, 23 (100%) occurred solely from sharp metal curettage. Building capacity of health professionals on the use of MVA, and ensuring the universal access to the equipment will enable safer abortion treatment and reduce maternal morbidity and mortality from abortion-related complications.