Study Population by Abortion Characteristic and PAC Visit Variables, Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar (N=412)
| Measure | No. (%) |
|---|---|
| Timing of care seeking after observing danger signs of complication | |
| 1 day | 110 (26.7) |
| 2 days | 98 (23.7) |
| 3–4 days | 99 (24.0) |
| ≥5 days | 105 (25.0) |
| Gestational age at onset of complications | |
| ≤12 weeks | 283 (68.7) |
| 13–18 weeks | 65 (15.8) |
| ≥19 weeks | 64 (15.5) |
| Client- Report of Spontaneous or Induced Abortion | |
| Induced | 52 (12.4) |
| Spontaneous | 360 (87.6) |
| Participants’ prior experience | |
| Ever had an abortion in the past | 78 (18.9) |
| Ever received PAC for a previous abortion | 51 (12.4) |
| First abortion | 334 (81.9) |
| Participants’ recall of desire for the pregnancy leading to their need for PAC | |
| Pregnancy was intended | 236 (57.3) |
| Pregnancy was unintended | 165 (40.1) |
| Pregnancy was mistimed (desire to delay) | 123 (29.9) |
| Pregnancy was unwanted (desire to limit) | 28 (6.8) |
| Postabortion fertility preferences | |
| Would like to get pregnant immediately | 92 (22.3) |
| Would like to get pregnant within 2 years | 120 (29.1) |
| Would like to get pregnant again after 2 years | 100 (24.3) |
| Would like to cease childbearing completely | 43 (10.4) |
| No clear intention for future childbearing | 32 (7.8) |
| Ever used a modern family planning method | 198 (48.1) |
| Facility type where PAC was received | |
| Regional referral hospital | 254 (61.2) |
| District hospital | 138 (33.4) |
| Health center | 20 (4.8) |
| Waiting time at facility before receiving care for abortion complication | |
| Immediately | 140 (34.7) |
| ≤30 minutes | 87 (21.6) |
| 31–120 minutes | 88 (21.8) |
| >2 hours | 88 (21.8) |
| PAC treatment method used | |
| MVA | 265 (64.3) |
| Sharp curettage | 77 (18.7) |
| Misoprostol | 35 (8.5) |
| Received pain medication | |
| Yes | 215 (52.2) |
| No | 197 (47.8) |
| Recall of counseling on emergency treatment procedure | |
| MVA clients | 106 (40.0) |
| Sharp curettage clients | 30 (39.0) |
| Misoprostol clients | 14 (40.0) |
| Total | 150 (36.4) |
| Recall of other counseling messages | |
| Post-procedure recovery and self-care practices | 57 (13.8) |
| Post-procedure danger signs | 158 (38.4) |
| STI/HIV | 11 (2.7) |
| Postabortion return to fertility | 113 (27.4) |
| Recall of postabortion family planning counseling and services | |
| Discussed future fertility intentions with provider | 55 (13.4) |
| Discussed contraceptive methods with provider | 124 (30.1) |
| Chose and received a modern postabortion contraceptive method | 72 (17.4) |
| Condom (male) | 4 (<1%) |
| Condom (female) | 1 (<1%) |
| Oral contraceptives | 23 (5.6) |
| Injectable (Depo Provera) | 19 (4.6) |
| Implant | 5 (1.2) |
| Intrauterine device | 18 (4.3) |
| Tubal ligation | 2 (<1) |
| Chose a traditional method | 6 (1.5) |
Abbreviations: MVA, manual vacuum aspiration; PAC, postabortion care; STI, sexually transmitted infection.