Effect of Stigma on the Choice Between Medication and Surgical Abortion

Samuel Antobam , Ipas Ghana
Koma Jehu-Appiah, Ipas, Ghana
Gertrude Voetagbe, Ipas, Ghana
Marian Smith, Ipas, Ghana

In spite of the fact that both medication abortion (MA) and surgical abortion are equally effective and recommended by WHO for abortion within 12 weeks of gestation, there are marked differences in the choice between these two procedures. Demographic and economic background of the woman have been found to be associated with these differences. But in a highly stigmatized environment, a woman’s decision to choose either MA or surgical abortion is a function not only of her demographic and economic background, but also facility level nuances and the way she perceives people around her would react to the abortion service she has received. So with a construction of index measuring woman’s worry of what people might say and multilevel logistic regression we investigate if a woman’s choice of MA or surgical abortion is influenced by her consideration of what people might say.

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 Presented in Session 1. Fertility, Family Planning, Sexual Behavior, & Reproductive Health 1