title: Decision making on unsafe abortions in Sri Lanka: a case-control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following an unintended pregnancy, not every woman would invariably choose to undergo an unsafe abortion. It suggests that in the decision making process, women face both 'push' factors that favour abortion and 'pull' factors that work against it. This study assessed the circumstances that surrounded a woman's decision to undergo an unsafe abortion, compared to a decision to continue, when faced with an unintended pregnancy in Sri Lanka.
  
  
  METHODS
  An unmatched case-control study was conducted among 171 women admitted to nine hospitals in eight districts following an unsafe abortion (Cases) and 600 women admitted to the same hospitals for delivery of an unintended term pregnancy (Controls). Interviewer-administered-questionnaires and in-depth interviews assessed women's characteristics, decision making process and underlying reasons for their decision. The risk of abortion related to their decision making was assessed using odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to controls, the cases were significantly less-educated, employed, unmarried and primi-gravid (p < 0.05). All knew the 'illegal' status of abortion, mainly through media (65.5% cases versus 80% controls). When making a decision, the risk of undergoing an unsafe abortion was significant among those who sought assistance (44% versus 32%; OR = 1.7 (95% CI = 1.2-2.4)), with more reliance placed on non-medical sources such as spouse/partner, friend, neighbour and family/relation. Speaking to women with past experience of induced abortions (31% versus 21.5%; OR = 1.6 (1.1-2.4) and failure in making the final decision with partners also imparted a significant risk for abortion (64% versus 34%; OR = 3.4; 2.4-4.8). A decision favouring unsafe abortion was predominantly based on their economic instability (29.5%) and poor support by partners (14%), whereas a decision against it was based on ethical considerations (44% religious beliefs: 12% social stigma) over its legal implications (4%). Most abortions were performed by unqualified persons (36.1% self proclaimed abortionists; 26.2% not revealed their qualifications) for a wide range of payment in non-sterile environments (45.9% unknown place) using septic procedures (38.5% trans-vaginal insertions; 24.6% unaware of the procedure).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women's risk of unsafe abortion was associated with unreliable sources of information during decision making that led to poor knowledge and positive attitudes on its safety; poor access to affordable abortion services; and their economic instability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, University of Colombo, Kynsey Road, Colombo 8, Sri Lanka. carukshi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Carukshi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arambepola
authors.forename: Lalini C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Rajapaksa
mesh_terms: D000024:Abortion, Illegal / Q000523:psychology*; D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned / Q000523:psychology*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013188:Sri Lanka; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires