Induced Abortion in Nicaragua

Abstract

In poor countries, induced abortion under unsafe conditions is a serious public health issue. In Nicaragua, it has ranked between third and fourth place among the causes of maternal mortality, but its frequency has been studied little. With this in mind, and to understand some characteristics of the women who undergo it, the topic was included in three reproductive health surveys conducted in 1997, 2001, and 2005, in four departments: León, Chinandega, Managua, and Rivas. A total of 16,511 women between the ages of 15 and 49 were interviewed, selected through cluster sampling. A rate of 1.3 abortions per thousand women annually and a ratio of 1.2 abortions per hundred live births were found. With specific survey methodologies for this topic, and especially through the use of indirect estimates, higher frequency figures can be expected. The frequency was higher in the capital city. It predominantly affects adult women, those who are married or in a relationship, and those who have already had children. Women from all educational levels underwent abortions. It is important to note that the high number of induced abortions occurs despite the fact that the law has always prohibited them.