About Us

We work with partners around the world to advance reproductive justice by expanding access to abortion and contraception.

Ipas Sustainable Abortion Care

Our Work

The global movement for legal, accessible abortion is growing. Our staff and partners in countries as diverse as Bolivia, Malawi and India are working to ensure all people can access high-quality abortion care.

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Our materials are designed to help reproductive health advocates and professionals expand access to high-quality abortion care.

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Resources

Women’s perceptions about abortion in their communities: Perspectives from western Kenya

Unsafe abortion in Kenya is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. To understand the methods married women aged 24–49 and young, unmarried women aged ≤ 20 used to induce abortion, the providers they utilized and the social, economic and cultural norms that influenced women’s access to safe abortion services, focus groups were conducted with young women and married women in rural and urban communities. Abortion outside public health facilities was mentioned frequently. Because of the need for secrecy to avoid condemnation, uncertainty about the law, and perceived higher cost of safer abortion methods, women sought unsafe abortions from community midwives, drug sellers and/or untrained providers at lower cost. The aim was to inform the design of a community-based intervention on safe abortion for women. Barriers to seeking safe services such as high cost, perceived illegality, and fear of insults and abuse at public facilities among both age groups must be addressed.
Authors: Marlow, Heather M., Sylvia Wamugi, Erick Yegon, Tamara Fetters, Leah Wanaswa, Sinikiwe Msipa-Ndebele
Year: 2013

Languages: English

Regions: Africa

Countries: Kenya

Topics: Research