A D.F. Health Sector Hospital Legal Pregnancy Interruption Program User Population

Abstract

Introduction: Unwanted pregnancy leads women to undergo abortion. According to the International Projects Assistance Services (IPAS), abortion and its complications are the 5th cause of maternal death in Mexico. However, in Mexico’s Federal District (D.F.), it is legal to interrupt pregnancy before the 12th week of gestation, a situation which gives women the right to freely and voluntarily decide about their maternity. 

Objective: To characterize the people who enroll a Legal Pregnancy Interruption Program in a D.F. health sector’s hospital. 

Methodology: Basic and descriptive study involving 61 women who were willing to enroll the program and be part of this study. We used a 27-item instrument. 

Results: Out of all participants (16 to 42 years old), 46% had home activities; 50% were single; 50% were married (or de-facto); and 23% said they were not using pregnancy-prevention methods. Among the main reasons to enroll the Legal Pregnancy Interruption Program were: economical problems (36%); unwanted pregnancy (20%); and being satisfied with the number of sons (20%). 82% reported a feeling of tranquility after having enrolled the program, and all of them reported having been treated with ethics and dignity. 

Discussion: In agreement with Gutmacher, pregnancy interruption legalization is in parallel with the increment in women’s application to pregnancy interruption procedures. Findings on economical problems and unwanted pregnancy reasons were similar to those found in the Population Council’s IPSOS-Bimsa survey on the Mexican population.

Conclusions: Reproductive health attention must be enhanced, emphasizing unwanted pregnancy prevention programs and thus, orienting and offering people family planning methods.