Abortion in Nepal: Perspectives of a cross-section of sexual and reproductive health and rights professionals

© 2019 The Author(s). Background: Globally, women face many barriers in the attainment of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Since 2002, the legalisation of abortion in Nepal has seen significant progress in the expansion of safe abortion and family planning services. Methods: This qu...

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Main Authors: Rogers, Claire, Sapkota, S., Tako, A., Dantas, Jaya
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/75493
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author Rogers, Claire
Sapkota, S.
Tako, A.
Dantas, Jaya
author_facet Rogers, Claire
Sapkota, S.
Tako, A.
Dantas, Jaya
author_sort Rogers, Claire
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2019 The Author(s). Background: Globally, women face many barriers in the attainment of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Since 2002, the legalisation of abortion in Nepal has seen significant progress in the expansion of safe abortion and family planning services. Methods: This qualitative, exploratory study was conducted in 2014 and uses nine in-depth, open-ended interviews with a cross-section of SRHR professionals, to explore their perspectives on abortion in Nepal. The study was underpinned by the Assets Focused Rapid Participatory Appraisal (AFRPA) research methodology and used the health information pyramid conceptual framework. Results: Thematic content analysis revealed emerging themes relating to barriers to access and uptake of skilled safe abortion services and post-abortion family planning. Findings also emphasised current practical and legal components relating to the provision of medical abortion through pharmacies and highlighted issues of sex-selective abortion within the predominantly patriarchal society. Conclusion: Effective and ongoing sector-wide monitoring and evaluation of safe abortion services and their staff is essential for women in Nepal to have adequate access to effective and efficient safe abortion services, access to contraception and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information post-abortion and to ensure adherence to current Safe Abortion Policy. It is critical that the unsafe (less and least safe) provision of medical abortion through pharmacies and sex-selective abortion continues to be investigated and that innovative strategies are formulated to ensure the cultural, reproductive and sexual health and rights of Nepali women are realised.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-754932019-05-13T01:22:06Z Abortion in Nepal: Perspectives of a cross-section of sexual and reproductive health and rights professionals Rogers, Claire Sapkota, S. Tako, A. Dantas, Jaya Science & Technology Life Sciences & Biomedicine Public, Environmental & Occupational Health Obstetrics & Gynecology Abortion Contraception Family planning Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) Nepal MEDICAL ABORTION QUALITATIVE RESEARCH EXPANDING ACCESS PHARMACY WORKERS DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES UNSAFE ABORTION MISOPROSTOL WOMEN CONTRACEPTION POSTABORTION © 2019 The Author(s). Background: Globally, women face many barriers in the attainment of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Since 2002, the legalisation of abortion in Nepal has seen significant progress in the expansion of safe abortion and family planning services. Methods: This qualitative, exploratory study was conducted in 2014 and uses nine in-depth, open-ended interviews with a cross-section of SRHR professionals, to explore their perspectives on abortion in Nepal. The study was underpinned by the Assets Focused Rapid Participatory Appraisal (AFRPA) research methodology and used the health information pyramid conceptual framework. Results: Thematic content analysis revealed emerging themes relating to barriers to access and uptake of skilled safe abortion services and post-abortion family planning. Findings also emphasised current practical and legal components relating to the provision of medical abortion through pharmacies and highlighted issues of sex-selective abortion within the predominantly patriarchal society. Conclusion: Effective and ongoing sector-wide monitoring and evaluation of safe abortion services and their staff is essential for women in Nepal to have adequate access to effective and efficient safe abortion services, access to contraception and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information post-abortion and to ensure adherence to current Safe Abortion Policy. It is critical that the unsafe (less and least safe) provision of medical abortion through pharmacies and sex-selective abortion continues to be investigated and that innovative strategies are formulated to ensure the cultural, reproductive and sexual health and rights of Nepali women are realised. 2019 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/75493 10.1186/s12905-019-0734-1 English http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ BMC fulltext
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Abortion
Contraception
Family planning
Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
Nepal
MEDICAL ABORTION
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPANDING ACCESS
PHARMACY WORKERS
DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES
UNSAFE ABORTION
MISOPROSTOL
WOMEN
CONTRACEPTION
POSTABORTION
Rogers, Claire
Sapkota, S.
Tako, A.
Dantas, Jaya
Abortion in Nepal: Perspectives of a cross-section of sexual and reproductive health and rights professionals
title Abortion in Nepal: Perspectives of a cross-section of sexual and reproductive health and rights professionals
title_full Abortion in Nepal: Perspectives of a cross-section of sexual and reproductive health and rights professionals
title_fullStr Abortion in Nepal: Perspectives of a cross-section of sexual and reproductive health and rights professionals
title_full_unstemmed Abortion in Nepal: Perspectives of a cross-section of sexual and reproductive health and rights professionals
title_short Abortion in Nepal: Perspectives of a cross-section of sexual and reproductive health and rights professionals
title_sort abortion in nepal: perspectives of a cross-section of sexual and reproductive health and rights professionals
topic Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Abortion
Contraception
Family planning
Sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
Nepal
MEDICAL ABORTION
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPANDING ACCESS
PHARMACY WORKERS
DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES
UNSAFE ABORTION
MISOPROSTOL
WOMEN
CONTRACEPTION
POSTABORTION
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/75493