Reasons for hospitalization due to abortion and pregnancy termination

The aim of this study was to identify the reasons for hospitalization assoc iated with abortion and pregnancy termination among women attending the Mat ernity Unit of IMIP, Recife, Brazil. In a case-control study, 230 women who were hospitalized consecutively between August 1994 and June 1995 due to c auses related to pregnancy termination or abortion were chosen as cases, Fo ur controls per case were selected randomly out of a total of 920 women who delivered at the same hospital. For each potential cause consider-ed, the odds ratio (OR) and respective 95 per cent confidence interval (CI) were ca lculated. Multiple logistic regression analysis was then used to control fo r confounders. Among all potential causes studied, those that showed signif icant association with pregnancy termination or abortion were: being single , absence of emotional support from partner, being a working woman, literac y up to the fourth year of school, failure of contraceptive method employed , and experience of previous pregnancies, children, and abortions.