Factors leading to unsafe abortion among the youth : : A case study of Narok Town

Abstract

Women have resorted to abortions despite social norms and legal restriction that barred it. The study assessed factors leading to unsafe abortion amongst forty (40) who had knowledge or had gone through an unsafe abortion. It came to light that the incidence of unsafe abortion is not limited to a homogenous group of women, but cuts across women of different socio-demographic backgrounds of religious orientation and education for instance. The predominant age category was 20-25years, an indication that women in that category are more predisposed to committing abortion than women in the other age categories. Many were unmarried and did not intent to get pregnant at the time pregnancy occurred. Most of the unsafe abortions were done in illegal areas by untrained persons or by drinking an herbal concoction which was self-administered. The study used a questionnaire and an interview schedule to gather information.