Mortality due to abortion at Kenyatta National Hospital, 1974-1983

A retrospective analysis of 95 deaths due to abortion at the Kenyatta National Hospital between 1974 and 1983 showed that the average death rate over the 10-year period was high: nearly three deaths per 1000 abortion admissions. The mean hospital stay was 12 days. Of the 95 abortions 76 (80%) were induced or were likely to have been induced. Septic abortion with its complications accounted for 97.4% of the deaths from induced abortion. Among the deaths from spontaneous abortion, 52.6% were due to haemorrhagic shock compared to 47.4% due to sepsis. In this study 76.9% of the deaths occurred among women who were widowed, divorced or unmarried. Adolescents (age 19 or younger) accounted for 23 (24.2%) of the deaths. In this latter group there was evidence of interference in 22 (95.7%).