International Journal of Innovative Research and Development

Abstract

Background:The government of Kenya has rolled out a free maternity program to step up its efforts in curbing maternal mortality, therefore there is need to understand the reasons behind the high number of procured unsafe abortions in order to come up with health promotion strategies to aid policy formulation and implementation of health promotion interventions.

Aims and objectives: The study aimed to determine factors leading to induced unsafe abortions among females of reproductive age at Kangundo District Hospital. Specifically, determine the socio-demographic characteristic of the patients with induced abortion at Kangundo District Hospital, Find out the reasons for inducing abortion among women of reproductive age at the Kangundo District Hospital, and assess the complications associated with induced unsafe abortion among women of reproductive age at the Kangundo district Hospital.

Methods: Mixed methods research design based on self-administered questionnaire containing closed and open questions survey method enabled data collection from 30 respondents purposefully selected from among women of reproductive age that presented with induced abortion at the gynecology ward of Kangundo district hospital.  The data collected was processed, organized and analyzed using the SPSS special version 20 and the quantitative results presented in form of tables, pie charts, and bar graphs, while narratives depicted content analysis of qualitative items. The respondents signed informed consent forms and the authorization of the study came from National Council for Science and Technology via the KMTC Director.

Results: Majority of respondents (60%) are ages 25-35 years; and 40% of the respondents were married; and 40% of the respondents had attained secondary education. Majority of the respondents (46.6%) cited lack of awareness or ignorance about family planning methods as their major reason for procuring and unsafe abortion. The major complication found among 48.4% of the respondents was post abortal pelvic infection.

Conclusion: The ignorance of family planning practices plus unstable economic status among a majority of women of reproductive age with unplanned pregnancy in Kangundo plays a major role in laying fertile ground for unsafe abortions.

Background:The government of Kenya has rolled out a free maternity program to step up its efforts in curbing maternal mortality, therefore there is need to understand the reasons behind the high number of procured unsafe abortions in order to come up with health promotion strategies to aid policy formulation and implementation of health promotion interventions.

Aims and objectives: The study aimed to determine factors leading to induced unsafe abortions among females of reproductive age at Kangundo District Hospital. Specifically, determine the socio-demographic characteristic of the patients with induced abortion at Kangundo District Hospital, Find out the reasons for inducing abortion among women of reproductive age at the Kangundo District Hospital, and assess the complications associated with induced unsafe abortion among women of reproductive age at the Kangundo district Hospital.

Methods: Mixed methods research design based on self-administered questionnaire containing closed and open questions survey method enabled data collection from 30 respondents purposefully selected from among women of reproductive age that presented with induced abortion at the gynecology ward of Kangundo district hospital.  The data collected was processed, organized and analyzed using the SPSS special version 20 and the quantitative results presented in form of tables, pie charts, and bar graphs, while narratives depicted content analysis of qualitative items. The respondents signed informed consent forms and the authorization of the study came from National Council for Science and Technology via the KMTC Director.

Results: Majority of respondents (60%) are ages 25-35 years; and 40% of the respondents were married; and 40% of the respondents had attained secondary education. Majority of the respondents (46.6%) cited lack of awareness or ignorance about family planning methods as their major reason for procuring and unsafe abortion. The major complication found among 48.4% of the respondents was post abortal pelvic infection.

Conclusion: The ignorance of family planning practices plus unstable economic status among a majority of women of reproductive age with unplanned pregnancy in Kangundo plays a major role in laying fertile ground for unsafe abortions.

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Abstract

Background: Many scholars have advocated for exclusive breastfeeding for infants below six months of age. In Kenya, most rural based mothers normally wean or introduce their babies to supplemental feeds before attainment of six months of age. Therefore, there is need to understand the factors influencing breastfeeding practices during infancy and early childhood in a rural setup like the Gatanga sub-county of Kenya.

Objectives: This study aimed at identifying the factors influencing breastfeeding during infancy and early childhood in a rural setup; determine the types of foods used for supplementary feeding and identification of methods.

Methods: This descriptive mixed methods questionnaire based cross-sectional survey in Gatanga sub-county of Murang’a County involved purposefully selected 176 mothers of children below 5 years of age from among nursing mothers in the four villages.

Results: The majority (40.3%) of the respondents were aged between 25-34 years of age followed by 38.6% of the respondents that were aged between 15-24 years.  A good number (80.7%) of breastfeeding mothers in the region have gone through formal education with just an alarming (19.3%) having not had gone through any formal education. Forty eight percent (48.9%) of the breast-feeding mothers were unemployed. Nearly all nursing mothers (97%) received information on breastfeeding and its benefits while only 3% (5) revealed having not had any information concerning infant feeding. In addition, 87.5%  (n=8) of the mothers with formal employments pointed out that their work place environment did not provided facilities such as workplace nursery. Exclusive breastfeeding was noted among 41.9% (n=43) of the mothers who had children of 0-6 months of age. While 30.2% of the mothers supplement breast milk with other types of milk, especially cow milk, about 11.6% indicated to supplement breast milk with other liquid foods such as glucose solution, sugar solution or fruit juice be it fresh or commercial. Maternal and contextual factors influence breastfeeding practice as well as the age of the baby.

Conclusion: Breastfeeding practice among the nursing mothers in Gatanga sub-county is good however, it falls far below the recommended the World Health Organization’s recommendations.

Background: Many scholars have advocated for exclusive breastfeeding for infants below six months of age. In Kenya, most rural based mothers normally wean or introduce their babies to supplemental feeds before attainment of six months of age. Therefore, there is need to understand the factors influencing breastfeeding practices during infancy and early childhood in a rural setup like the Gatanga sub-county of Kenya.

Objectives: This study aimed at identifying the factors influencing breastfeeding during infancy and early childhood in a rural setup; determine the types of foods used for supplementary feeding and identification of methods.

Methods: This descriptive mixed methods questionnaire based cross-sectional survey in Gatanga sub-county of Murang’a County involved purposefully selected 176 mothers of children below 5 years of age from among nursing mothers in the four villages.

Results: The majority (40.3%) of the respondents were aged between 25-34 years of age followed by 38.6% of the respondents that were aged between 15-24 years.  A good number (80.7%) of breastfeeding mothers in the region have gone through formal education with just an alarming (19.3%) having not had gone through any formal education. Forty eight percent (48.9%) of the breast-feeding mothers were unemployed. Nearly all nursing mothers (97%) received information on breastfeeding and its benefits while only 3% (5) revealed having not had any information concerning infant feeding. In addition, 87.5%  (n=8) of the mothers with formal employments pointed out that their work place environment did not provided facilities such as workplace nursery. Exclusive breastfeeding was noted among 41.9% (n=43) of the mothers who had children of 0-6 months of age. While 30.2% of the mothers supplement breast milk with other types of milk, especially cow milk, about 11.6% indicated to supplement breast milk with other liquid foods such as glucose solution, sugar solution or fruit juice be it fresh or commercial. Maternal and contextual factors influence breastfeeding practice as well as the age of the baby.

Conclusion: Breastfeeding practice among the nursing mothers in Gatanga sub-county is good however, it falls far below the recommended the World Health Organization’s recommendations.

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