The Related Factors of Decision- Making to Abort or Continue an Unplanned Pregnancy

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Many women experience unplanned pregnancies in their life and have to make the critical decision of whether to abort or continue their pregnancy. Given the lack of comprehensive studies on the factors affecting women’s decision-making about their unplanned pregnancy, the present study was conducted to assess the factors affecting the abortion or continuation of unplanned pregnancies. Materials and Methods: The present prospective study was conducted on 230 women with unplanned pregnancy who were selected through Whole number sampling, including 80 women who had decided to abort and 150 who had decided to continue their unplanned pregnancy, and presenting to health centers, health complexes and obstetrics and gynecology surgeries in Tabriz, Iran, in 2017. Data were collected through interviews and a perceived threats questionnaire, a perceived support questionnaire and a beliefs and values questionnaire and were analyzed using the t-test and the logistic regression analysis. Results: The mean age of the participating women with unplanned pregnancy was 31.1±6.75 years and the mean age of their spouses was 35.32±4.4. About two-thirds of the women and their spouses with a high school diploma or below had decided in favor of abortion. A total of 78% of those who had decided to abort had two or more children. The gestational age of the majority (80%) of the women who had decided to abort was less than five weeks. Most participants (73%) had no history of induced abortion. Almost half (48%) of those deciding to abort did not have sufficient family income. A total of 63% of those deciding to abort had unwanted pregnancy and 65% of those who had decided to continue their unplanned pregnancy had mistimed pregnancy. According to the results, the mean score of perceived threats (40.02±5.5), perceived support (23.09±2.8) and beliefs and values (18.12±3.2) were significantly higher in the abortion group compared to the continuation group (19±3.3, 21.04±3.05 and 11.2±4.3; P<0.001). The results of the hierarchical modeling strategy showed that the perceived threats of the continuation of pregnancy had the greatest predictive power for the decision to abort (β=1.12; 95% CI: 1.08-1.17; P<0.001). Discussion and Conclusion: The results showed that women's decision about the outcome of their unplanned pregnancy is potentially affected by three groups of factors, including perceived threats, perceived support and beliefs and values. This finding suggests the need for planning and implementing counseling interventions based on the said factors, and especially the identification of perceived threats and providing appropriate strategies to remove these threats in women having to make such critical decision in their life.