An Investigation of the Causes and Methods of Termination of Pregnancy in Medical Abortions Referred from Forensic Medicine in Babol Hospitals within a Four-Year Period

Abstract

Background and Objective: Today, abortion treatment is performed legally for reasons such as preserving the health and life of the mother and fetus with disabilities. The aim of this study was to investigate the basic information and determine the main reasons for legal abortions in medical abortions referred from forensic medicine in Babol as a basis for designing and conducting studies in the future regarding the improvement of reproductive health among women of reproductive age. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted via census sampling method among 104 cases of medical abortion referred from the forensic medicine of Babol to affiliated hospitals of Babol University of Medical Sciences in 2017-2020. Information related to individual and social factors and maternal and fetal causes leading to abortion was collected by a researcher-made checklist. Then, the data were reviewed and compared in terms of gestational age, termination of pregnancy, and maternal and fetal causes leading to abortion. Findings: The mean gestational age at termination of pregnancy with fetal causes was 16.21±2.35 weeks and for maternal causes was 10.33±3.96 weeks. There was a statistically significant relationship between the history of underlying disease, gender at the time of abortion, gestational age, and the causes of termination of pregnancy (p<0.05). In maternal causes of abortion, the highest frequency (50%) was related to maternal cardiovascular causes, and in fetal causes of abortion, the highest frequency (51.08%) was related to genetic causes of the fetus. Misoprostol was used to terminate the pregnancy of 23.1% of mothers. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that a large number of cases of medical abortions are related to the fetal cause.

Keywords

• medical ethics
• pregnant women
• legal abortion
• iran.