Contraceptive methods chosen by women after abortion in a public hospital in Honduras

Abstract

Background: The rate of unintended pregnancies in Latin America is among the highest in the world. Adolescents are among the most vulnerable groups for unintended pregnancies with percentages of 32% to 45%. Objective: To describe the factors associated with the choice of a contraceptive by women after an abortion at the Dr. Roberto Suazo Córdova Hospital, La Paz, Honduras, from July 2017 to June 2019. Method: Retrospective descriptive study, the data were obtained using the Perinatal Informatic Sistem (SIP Abortion) in the SIP 4.16. Results: 50.0% (67/134) of the adolescents and 50.1% (281/550) of those over 19 years of age chose a postabortion contraceptive. The start of the contraceptive was related to a history of abortion (p=0.006) and previous use of contraceptives (p=0.007). The most popular contraceptives were: Medroxyprogesterone acetate, combined oral contraceptives and condoms. The choice of contraceptive was related to instrumental evacuation of abortion (p=0.022) in adolescents and (p=0.000) in those over 19 years of age. Long-acting reversible methods were less chosen. Discussion: Postabortion contraceptive choice was low. The start of contraceptives was related to a history of abortion, previous use of contraceptives and instrumental evacuation. The most popular contraceptives were short-acting temporary contraceptives, and the least chosen, longacting temporary contraceptives. Access to information must be strengthened, counseling improved, access and availability of contraceptives, especially long-acting contraceptives, guaranteed to ensure adherence to the contraceptive method.