Document Type

Brief

Publication Date

2000

Abstract

Recognizing unsafe abortion as a serious health problem, the government of Senegal adopted a national health strategy in 1997 that aims to halve the number of unsafe abortions by 2001. In 1997, the Center for Training and Research in Reproductive Health (CEFOREP) and the Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic (CGO) at Le Dantec University Teaching Hospital in Dakar introduced new clinical techniques to improve emergency treatment for women with complications from miscarriage or abortion. CGO and two other teaching hospitals served as pilot sites. Physicians, nurses, and midwives at the three sites received training in manual vacuum aspiration, family planning, and counseling. To measure the impact of the training, CEFOREP interviewed 320 women receiving emergency treatment and 204 providers before the intervention, and 543 patients and 175 providers after. This brief states that improving postabortion care services can result in shorter hospital stays, decreased patient costs, better communication between providers and patients, increased acceptance of contraceptive use by women treated for abortion or miscarriage, and that local anesthesia is needed for pain control.

Comments

Also available in French and Spanish

DOI

10.31899/rh2000.1004

Language

English

Project

Frontiers in Reproductive Health

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