Demographic and Socio-Economic Determinants of Abortion Decision-Making among Women in Lomé (Togo): Analysis of a Process

Afiwa N'bouke, Université de Montréal

Using data from a 2002 survey conducted on “Family Planning and Induced Abortion” among 4755 women aged 15-49 in Lomé, the capital city of Togo, this study examines the abortion decision-making as a process that begins with exposure to the risk of pregnancy, goes through lack of contraceptive use and declaration of a pregnancy as “unwanted” by the woman, and ends with abortion. Several characteristics at the time of each pregnancy were considered. Results show that 15% of pregnancies, 47% of unwanted ones, were ended through abortion. Few pregnancies were preceded by contraceptive use. However, women who had a previous abortion or used contraception are more likely to resort to abortion. Ethnicity and generation influence certain stages of abortion-process, while religion, marital status, age, educational level and parity affect all stages. For example, the “out of wedlock” character of pregnancies, occurring at younger ages, mainly leads them to be reported as “unwanted” and ended through abortion.