Lived Experiences with Abortion by Young Women Attended at United Bulawayo Hospitals

In Zimbabwe, it is estimated that ten to fifteen thousand abortions occur annually. Abortion is one of the top five cause of maternal mortality in Zimbabwe and is rated to be at number four. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of young women with abortion. An interpretive phenomenological qualitative design was used in this study. The study was carried out at United Bulawayo Hospitals in Bulawayo province. A purposive sampling method was used to recruit twelve participants for the study. In depth interviews were conducted on twelve young women using open ended questions. Data was analyzed using manual thematic analysis. Four major themes emerged and these are awareness of pregnancy, perceptions and experiences of unexpected painful reality, post abortion events and quality of care. Findings of the study showed that young women are struggling with this unique experience of abortion. There are low levels of support for them and poor service provision at the hospital and this has negatively impacted on them. The findings provide a context within which young women with abortion can receive quality care and appropriate support for them through counselling and formation of support groups and training of health workers.