Publications

This study sought to explore and describe the contextual drivers of unintended pregnancies, the non-use of modern contraception, and comprehensive abortion care, in particular Post Abortion Care (PAC) in Eswatini. 

In Eswatini, abortions are the 3rd leading cause of maternal deaths according to the Eswatini Confidential Enquiry into maternal deaths report. Since abortion is legally restricted in the country, nearly all abortions are recorded as spontaneous in health facilities and are from women who come in with complications of abortion/ abortive disease. The magnitude of unsafe abortions in the country remains unknown, therefore. Access to post-abortion care for women who present with abortion complications in health facilities or the details of post-abortion care received also remains unexplored. There is a need to explore and describe access to post-abortion care, describe the demand for post-abortion care in health facilities, and the demand and drivers of abortion. This will help the Ministry of Health to develop strategies to improve access to PAC before severe complications from abortive disease occur. Investigating the drivers of unintended pregnancies, is also needed to inform policy strategies that can prevent them in the Eswatini context, and subsequently reduce unsafe abortions that occur from unintended pregnancies. Eswatini offers free contraception to women at the point of use. Reasons why women continue to have unintended pregnancies are not well understood.