Research Article
Yitagesu Sintayehu, Birhanu
Abstract
Background: Every year it is estimated that worldwide, from 210 million pregnancies, maternal deaths are 3,58,000 and unsafe abortions are estimated to be between 21 million and 22 million. Half of abortions globally are unsafe. Almost all of them occur in developing countries, with the higher number of deaths concentrated in Africa, especially Sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia. Unsafe abortion is still common and demands a heavy toll on women in Ethiopia. Objective: To assess health providers’ perception and associated factors towards safe abortion in health facilities. Method: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2016, by using pre-tested and structured self-administered questionnaire. A total of 394 health providers were selected by systematic random sampling. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between the dependent and independent variables. Result: A total of 383 health care providers participated in the study making the response rate 97%. About 48% of the respondents were found to have favorable perceptions towards safe abortion care. Preference of current legislation and institutional regulation (AOR=6.902 [95% CI=3.553, 13.406]), access to quality abortion service (AOR=6.628 [95% CI=2.122, 20.698]), preference of full legalization to safe abortion (AOR=8.862[5.008, 15.682]) and availability of adequate and functional equipment in the facilities (AOR=2.270[95% CI 1.245, 4.141]) were significantly associated with perceptions of health care providers towards safe abortion. Conclusion: Health care providers’ perception toward safe abortion care services was low. Therefore, sensitizing health providers about the essential nature of safe abortion services and the law governing abortion and equipping health facilities with essential supplies and accessibility of safe and legal termination of pregnancy are mandatory.