Retrospective study on abortion admissions in Jimma Hospital, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

Abstract: Abortion admissions to Jimma Hospital over a period of three years were studied retrospectively. There were a total of 1540 abortion admissions of which 25.4 % were residents from outside Jimma town. Those abortion cases from outside Jimma town had a significantly higher rate of sepsis, case fatality and longer hospital stay than those from Jimma town. The mean hospital stay was 4.03 (SD=5.96) days. Septic abortion was the commonest cause of maternal death and laparotomy for abscess drainage. Sixty-one percent of the abortion cases died in the first week of admission while the remaining died thereafter. Besides the various preventive measures, safe abortion services within the essential obstetric services should be made available and accessible. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1996;10(3):167-170]