Medical termination of pregnancy: a study of acceptor characteristics.

PIP: Characteristics of 616 Indian women who underwent therapeutic abortions between 1976-78 are described. The group is mostly young with the majority in the 25-34 age group followed by the 20-24 group. Parity is 2-3 with the majority having 2-3 living children. Women with middle or higher levels of education tended to have fewer living children than women with only primary or no education; the mean number of living children among the better educated urban women was 2.73 but 3.55 in those with no, or only primary, education. The number of living children was lower in the few women gainfully employed outside the home than in those who were housewives. Most of the abortions (about 82%) were carried out in the 1st trimester with a tendency for slightly later abortions in the rural sample; contraceptive failure was the reason in 22% of urban and 11% of rural cases while the mother's health was the reason in about 50% of all cases. The opportunity to accept family planning methods at the time of or after the pregnancy was rejected in about 17% but 54% of the urban and 62% of the rural accepted sterilization at the time of the abortion.^ieng

A comparative study of oral acceptors in the three member mission hospitals of Mysore State.

PIP: A study of oral contraceptive usage in 3 hospitals of Mysore State, India, was undertaken to ascertain demographic characteristics of users, the continuation rate, and to develop indices for program evaluation. The study population consisted of 454 pill acceptors and their status as of December 31, 1971. The results show that the median age was 27.9 years and the mean parity was 4.0. Age, parity, and living children had no bearing on continuity or discontinuity. Average length of use was 5.6 woman months. 47% discontinued use of the pill, with 9% of this group dropping out because of side effects. 58% of the discontinued users were lost to follow-up studies. Accumulated months of participation totaled 221 months, and the average duration projection was 8.2 months. Indices for discontinuation, accumulated program participation, and duration projection were developed. The discontinuation index equals the number of new discontinuing participants divided by previous continuing persons multiplied by 100. Accumulated program participation equals the sum of previous continuing participants plus 1/2 the number of admissions minus 1/2 the number discontinuing. Finally the average duration projection is calculated by dividing the number of continuing persons by the average admitted persons.^ieng

The oral pill programme: a summary of the preliminary findings.

PIP: A study was undertaken to assess the reasons for discontinuation of oral contraceptive pills by Indian women. Of 6485 women put on orals in various Indian states, 3094 discontinued for various reasons at different periods (e.g., unplanned and planned pregnancies, religious reasons, sterilization, and side effects) and 3391 cases were continuing at the end of June 1970. 67% of those who discontinued did so during the first quarter of medication. 60.3% of the discontinued group were lost to follow-up. 13.4% of the group discontinued because of side effects. The results indicate that a high degree of motivation is necessary during the first 3 months of medication. It is noted that emphasis should be given to the follow-up of the cases and not to mere numbers.^ieng