This document presents a proposal for a study aimed at exploring abortion practices among women in Tulu Awulia town, Ethiopia, focusing on their knowledge, awareness, prevalence, causes, and consequences. The research aims to assess the factors associated with abortion and its significant impact on maternal health, as abortion remains a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. The methodology includes a cross-sectional study design with data collected through interviews and questionnaires from female students, which will be analyzed using statistical software.

1. .
WOLLO UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITY
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
Proposal Presentation on Exploring Abortion Practice: Insights into Knowledge,
Awareness, Prevalence, Cause and Consequence Among Women in Tulu Awulia
Town.
BY: ASAMENEW GASHAW
PRINCIPAL ADVISOR: ASHENAFI TIRFIE (PHD Candidate)
JUNE, 2024
DESSIE, ETHIOPIA

2. 1.1. Background of the Study
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines unsafe abortion as a procedure for
terminating an unintended pregnancy carried out either by persons lacking the necessary
skills in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards, or both. The
persons with necessary skills and minimal medical standards are defined by the evolving
WHO guidelines for safe abortion and health worker roles in safe abortion care.
Universally, abortion cause maternal death, procedures can be safe or unsafe and
consistent with studies related to every type with the risk of infancy mother and fetus
death. Previously, shreds of evidence showed that pregnancies from youth subjected to
frequent termination because of physically and psychologically incomplete growth and
development.

3. Cont---
The problem associated with abortion increase and access to service is idiosyncratic laws and
cultural aspects of the communities across the world. Legalizing abortion showed improvement in
access and usage but did not reduce the number of estimated abortions.
Previous reports from Ethiopia revealed that unsafe abortion is one of the major causes of maternal
death. However, efforts to reduce the incidence of unwanted pregnancy were not successful. There
is a need of further study to understand the causes of unwanted pregnancy and its impact on
maternal health which may help to develop new strategies to death with unwanted pregnancies.
Therefore, this study is aimed to explore abortion practice, insights into knowledge, awareness,
prevalence, cause and consequence among young women in Tulu Awulia Town Segno Secondary
school.

4. 1.2. Statement of problem
Abortion is an important public health issue in both developed and developing countries
because of its negative associations with social and health outcomes for both mothers and
children. It is one of the leading factors contributing to the high level of maternal
morbidity and mortality. Some studies showed that abortion is higher among women who
are unmarried, lower economic status, at an early or late age of reproductive life, they do
not use contraceptives consistently and attend formal education.
Previous studies from Ethiopia revealed that unsafe abortion is one of the major causes of
maternal death. However, efforts to reduce the incidence of abortion were not successful.

5. Cont---
There is a need of further study to understand the causes of abortion and its impact
on maternal health which may help to develop new strategies to death with abortion
practice.
Thus, considering these backgrounds, more work remained ahead. Studies like this
might help to increase information related to these gaps for future policymaking
decisions so that adequate youths might get the service. Therefore, determining
abortion among the youth and its associated variables expected to be a great asset in
Ethiopia in general and in the study area, Tulu Awulia in particular.

6. 1.3. Objectives of the Study
1.3.1. General Objective
The general objective of the study is assessing the prevalence of abortion and factors which
can be associated with abortion.
1.3.2. Specific Objectives
 To assess the cause of abortion practice.
 To examine the consequences of abortion practice.
 To scrutinize the prevalence of abortion practice.
 To assess the knowledge and awareness of abortion practice.

7. 1.4. Significance of the Study
This study is aimed to find out the prevalence of abortion practice among reproductive age
groups. It will play a significant role in raising the awareness of the society on abortion
practice and identifying the factors associated with it.
It will also have a great importance for victims to have a little bit know-how about the
negative consequences of induced abortion on their future life and to give care for themselves
not to be victims of this activity.
In addition, the results of this study will help the school principals to take some actions in
collaboration with other concerned bodies to prevent abortion practice. Abortion therapy plays
a vital role in ensuring safe, effective, and acceptable abortion monitoring.

8. 1.5. Delimitation of the Study
The research is delimited in terms of the area of analysis and unit of analysis. The
area of analysis is specified to Tulu Awulia, and the unit of analysis is women in
Tulu Awulia, specifically abortion practice in women.
3. Methodology of the study
3.1. Description of the study area
Tulu Awulia town is the study area located in northern Ethiopia, in Amhara National
Regional State. It is located in Southwest of South Wollo Zonal Administration. It is 480
km distant from Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia and 250 km from Bahir Dar, the
regional capital. Tulu Awulia town is a recent town to upgrade town. It is one of the
smallest towns in the region which is organized with administration and 5 kebeles.

9. 3.2 Research Design
To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of female students on
induced abortion, cross-sectional study design will be applied.
Because, cross-sectional study is best suited to studies aimed at finding
out the prevalence of a phenomenon, situation, problem, attitude or
issue, by taking a cross-section of the population. As a result, cross-
sectional study is considered as suitable to assess knowledge, attitude
and practice of female students towards induced abortion in Segno
Secondary School.

10. 3.3 Types and Source of Data
Primary and secondary sources of data will be employed to conduct the study. Primary
data will be obtained from female students who have abortion experiences in their life.
The primary data will be gathered by using interview and questionnaires. Whereas, the
secondary data will be gathered through reviewing written materials.
3.4 Sampling techniques and Size
The study will be used probability sampling techniques to collect data from the respondents.
The researchers will be used probability sampling techniques for the purpose of obtaining an
idea of the range of responses on the ideas that people have. The study populations for this
study will be all sampled female students who were following their education at Segno
secondary school.

11. Cont----
The actual sample size for the study will be calculated using single population
proportion formula. Since the total population was less than 10,000, where the
total number of female students are 420, correction formula was used to
calculate the actual sample size.
A stratified systemic random sampling technique will be used to select
appropriate sample. First the students were stratified by their grade and the
same grade of different shifts will be combined together. Then the required
sample was taken from each stratum proportional to their size. From each
stratum students will be selected using systematic random sampling technique.

12. 3.5. Inclusion and Exclusion criteria
All female students aged 15 years and above were included in this study. Whereas
female students transferred from other school in second semester were excluded
from this study. Because, this study focuses to investigate the practice,
knowledge, attitude and the prevalence of induced abortion on young women .
3.6. Method of Data Collection
The researcher will use interviews and close-ended questionnaires for selected
members of respondents and information to secure adequate information for the
particular study. The questionnaires are interviewer-administered and will be
prepared in English and then translated to Amharic.

13. 3.7. Data Analysis and Interpretations
Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and STATA software package will
be used to analyze the data obtained through questionnaire. Descriptive statistical
analysis techniques such as Frequency, Percentage, Mean and standard deviation,
minimum and maximum values will be applied to describe variables in the study
and inferential statistical analysis through correlation between the dependent and
explanatory variable. The analysis for data collected through questionnaires will
be considered at different level of significance. To check the relationships between
the dependent and independent variables, coefficient of pair- wise correlation and
binary logistic regression model will applied to some extent.

14. 3.8. Measurement of variables
The abortion variable will be based on a dichotomized response: “yes” if a
woman had undergone an abortion and “no” if the respondent had not
undergone an abortion in the last five years. Unsafe abortion will be assessed
according to the service providers who performed the abortion using a question
“whom did you see to get the abortion done?” with the responses. The
responses will be dichotomized to, “safe” if the abortion was performed by
registered and trained doctors and nurses and “unsafe” for other than doctors
and nurses depending upon who were and were not listed (certified on safe
abortion).