Self-administered medical abortion pills: evaluation of the clinical outcome and complications among women presenting with unsupervised pill intake to a tertiary care hospital: a cross-sectional study

Background: In India, it is becoming a public health problem due to easy over-the-counter abortion pill availability despite the legal ban, widespread misuse by non-allopath doctors, dais and quacks, and ignorance on part of women. The pills are being dispensed blindly without proper medical evaluation and even without ruling out the contraindications. In India, abortion facility is available legally under the MTP act, 1971.Methods: Its cross-section study including 81 patients presenting to outpatients and emergency department of obstetrics and Gynecology, in RL Jalapa Hospital and Research Centre affiliated to Sri Deva Raj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research, Kolar between December 2020 and February 2021, a study conducted among women with a history of unsupervised pills abortion pill intake.Results: In the study 35% were in the age group 19 to 20 years, 45% were in the age group 21 to 25 years and 20% were in the age group 26 to 30 years. 55% were from joint family and 45% were from nuclear family, 76.2% were multigravida and 23.8% were primigravida.Conclusions: This study shows strict legislation and restriction required the sale of abortion pills for public use. The drug should be available only via health care facilities under the super version during an abortion. Creating awareness regarding contraception and effective method to fulfil the unmet need for contraception will be useful avoid the harmful practice of self-administered abortion pills and reducing maternal mortality

A survey of awareness of Pap smear and cervical cancer vaccine among women at tertiary care centre in Eastern Uttar Pradesh India

Background: Cervical cancer is very common in developing countries. In Uttar Pradesh the literacy rate of women is low as compared to other states of India. Poverty is very high. Most women report with advance stage of cervical cancer. It can be prevented by early screening with Pap smear. Aim of our study is to know about the awareness of Pap smear and cervical cancer vaccine among women attending a tertiary hospital in Eastern part of Uttar Pradesh India.Methods: A questionnaire based study is done on 1500 patients attending the OPD and admitted in ward over a period of one year.Results: To our surprise only 12.06% women were aware of Pap screening test. Only 6.13% women were aware of cervical cancer vaccine. The awareness about both Pap test and cervical cancer vaccine was present in only 5.2% only. The education of the women and socioeconomic status also play an important role. The awareness among rural women was significantly less as compared to urban women.Conclusions: The awareness about Pap test and cervical cancer vaccine was very low specially in women staying in rural area. So if we really wanted to reduce cervical cancer then we have to increase the awareness among women by media, camps etc