Thoai D Ngo1, Caroline Free2, Hoan T Le3, Phil Edwards2, Kiet H T Pham4, Yen B T Nguyen4, Thang H Nguyen5. 1. Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Team, Health System Department, Marie Stopes International, London, UK. Electronic address: thoai.ngo@mariestopes.org. 2. Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. 3. Department of Environmental Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam. 4. Department of Health Economics, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam. 5. Research and Metrics Team, Marie Stopes International Vietnam, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the attributes of service users associated with uptake of medical abortion (MA) versus manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) at public health facilities in Vietnam. METHODS: Structured exit interviews were conducted among women who underwent termination at 62 public health facilities in Hanoi, Khanh Hoa, and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) between August and December 2011. Data on sociodemographic, abortion-related, and service-related factors were compared between women who underwent MVA versus MA. RESULTS: Overall, 1233 women completed the study survey: 541 (43.9%) from Hanoi; 163 (13.2%) from Khanh Hoa; and 529 (42.9%) from HCMC. Almost one-quarter of women (23.1%) had chosen MA. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, women living in Khanh Hoa (odds ratio [OR], 13.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.3-33.8) and HCMC (OR, 5.8; 95% CI, 2.1-15.9) were more likely to have undergone MA than women in Hanoi. Older women were less likely to have undergone MA (P < 0.05), and those who had previously heard of MA were twice as likely to have undergone MA (P = 0.020). CONCLUSION: Uptake of MA was lower than that of MVA and varied by province. Women in Vietnam will make their own judgment about which method to choose if they have prior knowledge of both.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the attributes of service users associated with uptake of medical abortion (MA) versus manual vacuum aspiration (MVA) at public health facilities in Vietnam. METHODS: Structured exit interviews were conducted among women who underwent termination at 62 public health facilities in Hanoi, Khanh Hoa, and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) between August and December 2011. Data on sociodemographic, abortion-related, and service-related factors were compared between women who underwent MVA versus MA. RESULTS: Overall, 1233 women completed the study survey: 541 (43.9%) from Hanoi; 163 (13.2%) from Khanh Hoa; and 529 (42.9%) from HCMC. Almost one-quarter of women (23.1%) had chosen MA. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, women living in Khanh Hoa (odds ratio [OR], 13.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.3-33.8) and HCMC (OR, 5.8; 95% CI, 2.1-15.9) were more likely to have undergone MA than women in Hanoi. Older women were less likely to have undergone MA (P < 0.05), and those who had previously heard of MA were twice as likely to have undergone MA (P = 0.020). CONCLUSION: Uptake of MA was lower than that of MVA and varied by province. Women in Vietnam will make their own judgment about which method to choose if they have prior knowledge of both.