CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of study

All over the world, women experience unwanted pregnancy; some of these women seek to terminate the pregnancy by safe medical means, if possible but often by whatever available.
The termination of pregnancies most generally known as “abortion” is a universal phenomenon occurring throughout all levels of societal organization and recorded history.
Techniques implemented are highly varied, as are circumstances under which it is practiced. Abortion is not unique at any point in time or level of societal organization. It has existed
before history started to be recorded and it still exists till today. An abortion by definition is the discarding by the uterus of the product of conception before the 24th week of pregnancy.
Abortion is the expulsion of the fetus from the womb during the first twenty-eight (28) weeks of pregnancy (Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary 5th Edition ’95). To some people
in the society particularly the religious, it is a vice affecting every nook and cranny of the world (Jeje, 2001).The Centre for Human Development, Ile-Ife in conjunction with UNICEF declared that over 50% women in Cameroon are pregnant by the age of 20 (in some communities, it is high as80%). Of this number, 21-28% undergo parturition between the ages of 15 and 17 and 40%
are mothers by the age of 18. This is to say that abortion among adolescents is higher among women. Adolescent is the period when children begin to identify some notable change in
their physical body such changes would make them to be aware of their bodies. Changes like growth of the breast, beginning of menstrual period among women, broadness of the chest
and growth of hairs in the public areas in both boys and girls. Abortion or termination of unwanted babies among adolescents owes to so many reasons ranging from poverty, illiteracy, and incompetence.

Abortion can be legal or illegal, that is, generally acceptance by law, which is legal or unacceptable by law illegal, which regards it as an offence. Only few countries in Africa, allow abortion and problems relating to pregnancy are the leading causes of death for women of childbearing age(s), with complications from abortion consistently rendering at the top list. For every 100,000 abortion in Africa, 680 women die. This is over twice the average for developing nations and 680 times the number of developed countries. Each year, an estimated 210 million women throughout the world become pregnant and about one in five of them resort to abortion. Out of 46 million abortions performed annually, 19 million are estimated to be unsafe (WHO, 2017). WHO defines unsafe abortion as a procedure for terminating an unwanted pregnancy either by persons lacking the necessary skills or in an environment lacking the minimal medical standards, or both (UNICEF, 2018). The burden of unsafe abortion lies primarily in the developing world; the highest rates are in Africa and in Latin America and the Caribbean, followed closely by South and South-East Asia. At the opposite extreme, the rate of unsafe abortion in Europe and North America is negligible.

The root cause of women seeking an abortion is the persistence of unintended pregnancies, which in turn reflects the failure of family planning programs to meet the contraceptive needs of all women at risk of an unintended pregnancy. For the growing number of women and men of reproductive age who wish to regulate their fertility and have fewer children, there is a need for correct and consistent use of effective contraceptive methods. However, problems such as difficulties in access to preferred methods of contraception, incorrect or inconsistent use of contraceptive methods, and potential contraceptive method failure are not easily resolved and may lead to unintended pregnancies. Other reasons for unwanted pregnancies include forced or unwanted sexual intercourse and a lack of women’s empowerment over sexual and reproductive matters. Societal norms, economic conditions, legal obstacles and other systemic factors are likely to have a profound impact on women’s recourse to abortion and especially unsafe abortion. Poverty, for example, is an important determinant in the decision to seek an abortion when women consider the financial consequences of an unintended pregnancy. Among adolescents, if there is no premarital sex there cannot be pregnancy, let alone abortion. Abortion is a preventable hazard or medical hazard that should be curtailed all over the world and Cameroon in particular because there are no adequate medical facilities and only about 25% of its population has access to modern health (Awoyemi, 1995). Abortion is a very rampant hazard that endangers the lives of women especially the youths (adolescent) and also it affects their future. People are influenced by what they see, read or hear. In true senses, the media houses cannot be exonerated from causing this problem given their penchant for pornographic picture, sexually stimulating discussions and stories. Even the kids are known to practice what they see people do on television (Saka, 2001). Ignorance is also a factor causing this problem because it has been observed that abortion is carried out more by people with low education (Saka, 2001). This is as a result of the fact that the individual does not comprehend sex, possible effects and dangers associated with abortion.

1.2 Statement of Problem

The high rate of abortion amongst the adolescents in recent times calls for an urgent appraisal of the factors responsible for it. . According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 16 million girls aged between 14 and 19 years and about one million girls younger than 15 years give birth every year. Nowadays, the vast majority of teenage pregnancies occur in low- and middle-income countries characterized by poor health-care services; therefore, complications during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum (42 days after birth) are the second cause of death among girls aged between 14 and 19 years worldwide. Additionally, it is estimated that some three million teenage girls undergo unsafe abortions, which may result in consecutive reproductive health problems or even death. In Cameroon, the prevalence of induced abortion is about 25% [Kongnyuy et al., 2013].Furthermore, in 2000, the estimated maternal mortality ratio attributed to unsafe abortion in Cameroon was 90 to 100,000 live births.  These and other relevant questions robed into undertaking this research which tries to assess the knowledge of youths (14-19years) on abortion and how it can be prevented.

1.3 Research questions

1. What knowledge do youths (14-19years) of Mile16 have on abortion?
2. What factors leads to abortion among youths (14-19years) in Mile16?
3. What knowledge do youths (14-19yearsyears) of Mile16 have on the prevention of abortion?

1.4 Research objectives

1.4.1 General research objective

 To assess the knowledge of young Girl’s 14-19years On Abortion and Prevention in the Mile 16 Community.

1.4.2 Specific research objectives

1. The asses the knowledge of youths (14-19years) of Mile16 have on abortion.
2. To examine the factors that leads to abortion among youths (14-19yearsyears) in Mile16.
3. To find the knowledge of youths (14-19yearsyears) of Mile16 have on the prevention of abortion