A Survey of Attitudes and Practices of Reproductive Health And
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Quality in Primary Care 2011;19:325–34 # 2011 Radcliffe Publishing International exchange A survey of attitudes and practices of reproductive health and family planning services among private medical practitioners in four states of the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria Lawrence Osuakpor Omo-Aghoja Doctor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medical Sciences, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria and Women’s Health and Action Research Centre Afolabi Hammed Women’s Health and Action Research Centre Friday Ebhodaghe Okonofua Professor,Women’s Health and Action Research Centre and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Benin, Nigeria Okpani Anthony Okpani Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Health Sciences, University of Port Harcour, Nigeria Oyinkondu Collins Koroye Doctor, Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Nigeria Sylvester Ojobo Doctor, Ponders Medical Center, Benin City, Nigeria Iyore Itabor Doctor, Association of Private Obstetrics Providers in Nigeria, Asaba, Nigeria Olakunle Daramola Doctor, Women’s Health and Action Research Centre ABSTRACT Background Abortion is widespread in the Niger- ever, only 33 (24.0%) provided services for termin- Delta region of Nigeria, with resulting high rates ation of pregnancy. Indeed, just over half (72; of morbidity and mortality. It is thought that the 53.4%) counselled women to continue the preg- private sector provides the majority of abortion nancy while fewer (35; 25.9%) referred women to services in Nigeria as a result of the restrictive other clinics. However, there was no evidence to abortion law in the country. The oil-rich Niger- suggest that doctors followed up on those women Delta region accounts for 90% of the country’s counselled to continue their pregnancies. Most resource, is economically active and has increased private sector service providers of abortion services opportunities for sexual networking. in Nigeria (69.7%) are non-specialist doctors. Method This study assays the attitudes of staff at Conclusion Education of private practitioners in family planning (FP) services and practices of re- the principles of abortion, post-abortion care and productive health and FP services among private FP is recommended to alleviate abortion-related practitioners in four states of Niger-Delta of Nigeria morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. (the states of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers). Results Women who had unwanted pregnancies Keywords: abortion, family planning, Niger-Delta were attended by 119 (87.5%) respondents. How- region, Nigeria, private practitioner, women’s health 326 LO Omo-Aghoja, A Hammed, FE Okonofua et al Introduction Section 232 prescribes 14 years imprisonment, the option of a fine or both for the person who performs the abortion. In section 233, it is stipulated that if the Each year, an estimated 210 million women through- procedure results in the death of the woman, the out the world become pregnant and about one in person who has performed it is liable to imprisonment five of these women seek abortion. Out of 42 million which may extend to 14 years and is also liable to a fine. abortions performed annually, 20.2 million are estim- If the procedure was done without the consent of the ated to be unsafe and 97% of all unsafe abortions occur woman, the person who undertook the procedure is 1 in developing countries. The World Health Organ- liable to a jail term for life or less and is also liable to a ization (WHO) defines unsafe abortion as a procedure fine. Section 234 prescribes punishment for someone for terminating an unwanted pregnancy either by who causes miscarriage unintentionally by force, if persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environ- it was unknown that the woman was pregnant; the ment lacking the minimal medical standards – or person is liable to three years imprisonment or a fine 2 both. The burden of unsafe abortion lies primarily or both. Knowing that the woman was pregnant may in the developing world; the highest rates are in Africa cause the jail term to be extended to five years. and in Latin America and the Caribbean, followed Social stigma and political pressure impair the closely by South and South-East Asia. At the opposite ability of healthcare providers to offer abortion ser- extreme, the rate of unsafe abortion in Europe and vices and effective post-abortion family planning (FP) North America is negligible. A recent study found services even within the law. Consequently women even more alarming data on the maternal mortality experiencing unwanted pregnancies are unable to ratio in Kano, Nigeria, finding that 2420 women died obtain effective safe abortion services and counselling of problems related to pregnancy and childbirth for within the public health sectors. By contrast, the 3 every 100 000 live births. Abortion is one of the major private sector (especially private medical practitioners) causes of maternal morbidity and mortality in most provide a substantial proportion of the abortion ser- 4–6 parts of sub-Saharan African countries. vices in many parts of the country.8–11 Yet few use Previous research in Nigeria has shown that repro- established effective and evidence-based methods that ductive health service utilisation is influenced by are available elsewhere. Thus, abortions provided by 7 sociocultural and religious considerations. Women many private doctors may be unsafe.8–11 This is often seek services that are confidential, private and confirmed by the experiences of many tertiary hospi- which they have adjudged to be of reasonable quality. tals that treat women with induced abortion compli- Although the cost of services and attitudes of health cation.8–11 In addition, it is unknown how many women providers are also important, the need for privacy is receive any form of post-abortion FP counselling after often uppermost in the minds of women seeking having abortion by private practitioners to prevent the reproductive health services. A restrictive law that repetition of unintended pregnancy. only allows termination of pregnancy to save the life Private doctors are of great importance when it of a woman has a significant influence on the increasing comes to expanding access to safe abortion and post- rate of unsafe abortion in Nigeria. The laws, intro- abortion care services in Nigeria. Despite the prefer- duced during British colonial rule in 1916, restricted ence for private medical practitioners for provision of abortion to saving the life of the woman. The criminal FP and reproductive health services in Nigeria, there code was then adopted throughout the country and, is currently limited information on the knowledge, 43 years later, the penal code was introduced to replace attitudes and practice of abortion services and post- the criminal code in northern Nigeria in order to abortion FP. This information is critically important, reflect the norms of British law in colonial India – as it would justify the need for a retraining programme India being an Islamic country, and Islam being the aimed at increasing the skills of private practitioners predominant religion in the northern region of Nigeria. in rendering evidence-based services in relation to The criminal code – sections 228, 229 and 230 – was abortion and post-abortion FP as part of reproductive 5,8 retained in southern Nigeria. Section 228 stipulates health service delivery in Nigeria. guilt of felony for persons that perform abortion and The objective of this study was to determine the liability to a 14-year jail term. Section 229 prescribes attitudes and practice of abortion services and post- guilt of felony for a woman who induces an abortion abortion FP in four states of the Niger-Delta region in in herself or submits herself for abortion and liability Nigeria. The results will assist in designing an inter- to seven years imprisonment. Section 230 prescribes vention programme aimed at scaling up abortion and guilt of felony on a supplier of materials used for an post-abortion FP services for the prevention of at-risk abortion and liability to three years imprisonment. pregnancy in Nigeria. The relevant sections of the penal code that operates in northern Nigeria are sections 232, 233 and 234.5 A survey of attitudes and practices of reproductive health and FP services 327 Methods The questionnaires were self-administered and directed to the most senior practitioner in each of the private hospitals/clinics. A project coordinator This study was undertaken as part of a project entitled visited the clinics to distribute the questionnaire and ‘Expanding access to safe abortion to young under- returned one week later to retrieve completed ques- served and vulnerable women through private prac- tionnaires. Respondents were assured of confidentiality titioners’ initiatives in four states of the Niger-Delta and no names of persons were included in the ques- region of Nigeria’ with the aim of using the results to tionnaires. The study was approved by the Ethical design an intervention programme to improve Review Board of the University of Benin Teaching abortion and post-abortion FP services in Nigeria. Hospital. The study was carried out by the Women’s Health Completed questionnaires were collated, coded, and Action Research Centre, a non-governmental entered and analysed using the statistical package for organisation located in Edo State in Southern Nigeria. social scientists (SPSS). Results are presented as simple The study was conducted as part of a needs assessment descriptive statistics. for a project aimed at building the capacity of private practitioners in delivering safe abortion services to young underserved and vulnerable women in four states of the Niger-Delta region: the states of Edo, Results Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers. As part of the study, we obtained detailed lists of registered hospitals and clinics from the respective Two-hundred potential participants were sent ques- ministries of health of the four states. The lists tionnaires and 136 (68%) returned completed ques- obtained revealed that the major hospitals in these tionnaires, the rate varying by state (Table 1).