Frequency of voluntary interruption of pregnancy among students from Lycée Molende of Buta/Bas-Uélé City, during the 2023-2024 School Year

Abstract

Intentional termination of pregnancy and clandestine abortion pose a serious public health problem throughout the world, and the Democratic
Republic of Congo is not spared from this scourge. Our preliminary study seeks to highlight the various causes of abortion of pregnancy among
students at the Lycée Molende de Buta in Bas-Uélé Province, during the 2023-2024 school year, with 75 cases recorded. The results show that
the frequency of abortion in this sample is 14.3%. The majority of respondents were aged between 21 and 23 (34.6%), and 28% were in the 6th
year of secondary school. In terms of gestational age, 32% of cases were at 11-12 weeks' amenorrhea. All respondents presented clinical signs
such as vaginal bleeding, lumbopelvic pain and fever, followed by expulsion of the egg. Hemorrhagic complications were observed in 82.6%
of cases. 72% of participants had a single abortion, and 42.6% used modern abortion drugs. Fear of parental reaction was cited as the main
reason for abortion by 53% of respondents. Finally, 90.6% of participants received medical and psychological care.