Unsafe abortion: the situation in Sierra Leone; West Africa

At the Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA) regional workshop on reproductive health and safe motherhood held in December 1993; unsafe abortion was one of the items discussed. It turned out that the problem of unsafe abortion was almost identical for all the countries in the West African sub-region

The prevalence of unwanted pregnancies among young women in the greater Freetown area

1896 women aged 12-22 yaers in the greater Freetown area were interviewed. 91 per cent were either students; petty traders or uneployed. The abortion rate was 20 per cent; the valuntary abortion rate was 11.9 per cent. Most of the valuntary abortions were done by doctors in hospitals. Only 6 per cent of 1st abortion was done free of charge. The partner paid for 54 per cent and the clients paid for themselves in 23 per cent of cases. The post secondary educated group recorded a significantly higher voluntary abortion rate