From 1994-2000: CV has more induced abortion cases in Visayas

CEBU, Philippines - The number of cases of induced abortion in the country has increased from 1994 to 2000 with the number of deaths reaching an alarming rate, the Department of Health said.

A community-based survey conducted in 2004 by Guttmacher Institute and the University of the Philippines Population Ins-titute among 4,000 women respondents, ages 15 to 49, showed that the estimated number of inducted abortion in the country reached 473,400 in the year 2000 from an estimated 400,515 cases in 1994.

The survey also showed that from 1994 to 2000, Region 7 has the most number of incidents of induced abortion in the Visayas with 5,135 cases.

Western Visayas had 2,218 cases while Eastern Visayas had 1,984 cases.

The National Capital Region had 23, 309 cases while the rest of Luzon had 34,018. Meanwhile, Mindanao had 12,238 cases.

Data gathered in the 2004 survey considered included those from hospitals, the National Statistics Office, survey among health professionals, qualitative studies among women who have had abortion carried out by non-government organizations, and demographic and health surveys.

Data from 2000 to 2006 is yet to be released next year.

Dr. Lutgarda Herbias, Reproductive Health and Family Planning Program Coordinator of the DOH-7, said 3 million women become pregnant in the country each year and an estimated 800 die every year due to complications of induced abortion.

Herbias said 87 percent of women who engage in induced abortion are reportedly mostly married and are Roman Catholics.

Herbias said the exact number of induced abortion is difficult to determine because women are often reluctant to disclose they have had abortion.

Likewise, hospital records reportedly do not distinguish accurately between induced and spontaneous abortion or miscarriage.

Not all women who have had abortions experience complications, Herbias said, as there reportedly are safe or uncomplicated abortions.

Abortion is illegal in the Philippines, but several women still seek the help of private practitioners.

Meanwhile, not all women who experience complications receive treatment because they reportedly die before obtaining care.

Herbias said the increase in the number of induced abortion cases in some areas may reflect the difficulties women experience in obtaining modern contraceptives as a result of social and political constraints that affect health care provision.

Policies and programs regarding post abortion care and contraceptive services need improvement, she said.

Among the reasons that women resort to abortion include the expensive cost of raising a child, the sudden arrival of another baby after the last pregnancy, existence of many children in the family, problems with their partners, problems on health, the interruption a pregnancy can cause to schooling and work, forced sex, and dislike of partner and relatives to the arrival of a child.

More than a quarter of women that resort to induced abortion reportedly go through multiple steps such as drinking herbs to massage, yet only 30% of them reportedly succeeds because low-cost methods tend to be less effective and riskier.

Corollary to this, eight out of 10 women who succeed in ending their pregnancy experience complications with 35 percent experiencing moderate complications while 46 percent experience severe complications like severe bleeding, severe pain, moderate or severe fever, and even injury.

In contrast, only four out of 10 women who are unsuccessful in their attempt to abortion experience health complications. 

Herbias said it may be time to increase the use of effective contraceptives to prevent unintended pregnancies, which often results to abortion.

“Increasing the use of effective contraceptives to prevent unintended pregnancies and abortion so as to reduce the grave health consequences and costs of unsafe abortion,” she said.

These include increasing knowledge about and access to modern methods, especially for poor women in the rural areas, and complete and accurate education of young people, both women and men, on reproductive health, the risks of induced abortion, and the health and societal benefits of family planning. — Johanna T. Natavio  (THE FREEMAN)