Attitudes and practices of private medical providers towards family planning and abortion services in Nigeria.
BACKGROUND
The study was designed to investigate the attitudes and practices of private medical practitioners towards abortion, postabortion care and postabortion family planning in Nigeria.


METHODS
Three hundred and twenty-three private practitioners who were proprietors of private clinics in three states of the country were interviewed with a structured questionnaire that elicited information on their knowledge and experiences of abortion and postabortion care in the cities.


RESULTS
Twenty-four percent of the doctors reported that they routinely terminate unwanted pregnancies when requested to do so by women, while 82% reported that they frequently treat women who experience complications of unsafe abortion. Over 45% reported that they use manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) for the management of abortion in the first trimester, while 25% use dilatation and curettage (D and C). Nearly 28% reported the use of MVA followed by D and C in the first trimester. Fifty-seven percent reported their lack of expertise in managing second-trimester abortions, while those admitting that they manage second-trimester abortions reported nonstandard methods and procedures. In addition, there was evidence of inadequate counseling of women, lack of institutional protocols and poor use of postabortion family planning by the doctors.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest the need for a program of retraining of private practitioners on the principles and practices of safe abortion, postabortion care and family planning in Nigeria and the integration of these topics into medical training curricula in the country.
Okonofua
F E
FE
Women's Health and Action Research Center, Benin City, Nigeria. wharc@warri.rcl.nig.com
Shittu
S O
SO
Oronsaye
F
F
Ogunsakin
D
D
Ogbomwan
S
S
Zayyan
M
M
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D000328:Adult; D000359:Aftercare / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003376:Counseling; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011247:Pregnancy; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted; D011331:Private Practice; D018456:Reproductive Medicine; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014619:Vacuum Curettage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D014932:Women's Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration