Knowledge and Utilization of Post-Abortion Care Services among Women of Reproductive Age in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt Nigeria

The study assessed the knowledge and utilization of post abortion care services among women of reproductive age (15–49years) in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. It was designed to determine women’s understanding of post-abortion care, the extent to which women use post abortion care services and identify reasons for non-use of post abortion care services among women of reproductive age. A simple sampling technique involving purposive sampling was used to randomly elicit 114 respondents. Data were collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire and analysed using frequency, means, percentages and regression analysis.  The result showed that the respondents had an average age of 28years, 2 times deliveries and one abortion/miscarriage done averagely on the 11th-12th week. 50% were married, 43% were single, 91.2% were Christians and 74.6% have attended higher institution. The results showed the respondents had good understanding of post-abortion care. About 63.2% of the women were currently preventing pregnancy by regularly using barrier method e.g., Condom (1st in ranking/usage), Injectable (2nd), Pills (3rd) and Natural method (4th). The results also showed that the health facility’s distance (farness) from home, the cost of obtaining post abortion care services in the health facility, fear that some post abortion care services such as family planning injections can cause infertility, and healthcare providers’ attitude were the reasons for non-use of post-abortion care. The multinomial logistic regression analysis showed a highly significant difference of the effect of education on women’s knowledge of post-abortion care. The result of the multiple regression analysis however, showed no significant difference of the effect of occupation on the use of post-abortion care services. The study recommended that awareness programs on sex education/family planning and post-abortion care among women should be intensified.