Abortion Law awareness and Abortion Services Utilization among reproductive age women of Inarwa municipality of Eastern Nepal

Authors

  • Vijay Kumar Khanal B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7883-9568
  • Hari Prasad Ghimire Gandaki Medical College Pokhara, Nepal
  • Meika Bhattachan B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal
  • Gyanu Nepal B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal
  • Shyam Sundar Budhathoki B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal
  • Khem Raj Sharma B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal
  • Pramendra Prasad Gupta B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
  • Paras Kumar Pokhrel B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3126/jgmcn.v13i1.27900

Keywords:

Abortion law, reproductive health, Utilization

Abstract

Introduction: Globally, reproductive health and quality of life among female population has been found to be unsatisfactory in developing world. Until 1963, Nepal’s 1854 legal code known as MulukiAin was revised numerous times that banned abortion exempting risk of women’s life. Enactment of New Abortion Policy from 2003 brought landmark reforms to the women’s choice in family planning methods and ended the sufferings of lengthy prison sentences for abortion crimes. This study was conducted to explore the level of awareness about abortion law with regard to health care utilization among women of reproductive age group along with its association with socio-demographic characteristics.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2014, in Inarwa Municipality among women of reproductive age group (16 to 49 years). Convenient sampling was done to collect data from households. Data was entered and analyzed in SPSS 11.5 and presented in tabular form. Chi-square test was used to show association of awareness of abortion law and socio-demographic variables.

Results: education, age at first marriage and age at 1st pregnancy was found to be significant (p value: <0.005).

Conclusion: As media was the most used source of information, more education on awareness of abortion law and health care utilization should be disseminated through this medium.  

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Author Biographies

Vijay Kumar Khanal, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal

Associate Professor, School of Public Health and Community Medicine

Hari Prasad Ghimire, Gandaki Medical College Pokhara, Nepal

Department of Community Medicine

Meika Bhattachan, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal

School of Public Health and Community Medicine

Gyanu Nepal, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal

School of Public Health and Community Medicine,

Shyam Sundar Budhathoki, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal

School of Public Health and Community Medicine

Khem Raj Sharma, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal

School of Public Health and Community Medicine

Pramendra Prasad Gupta, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal

Department of General Practice and Emergency Medicine

Paras Kumar Pokhrel, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health sciences Dharan, Nepal

School of Public Health and Community Medicine

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Published

2020-06-26

How to Cite

Khanal, V. K., Ghimire, H. P., Bhattachan, M., Nepal, G., Budhathoki, S. S., Sharma, K. R., Gupta, P. P., & Pokhrel, P. K. (2020). Abortion Law awareness and Abortion Services Utilization among reproductive age women of Inarwa municipality of Eastern Nepal. Journal of Gandaki Medical College-Nepal, 13(1), 32–38. https://doi.org/10.3126/jgmcn.v13i1.27900

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Original Articles