[Sociodemographic and medical features of abortion among underage people in Guadeloupe (French West Indies)]

Abstract

Objective: In France, contraception is available for everybody; however, the number of abortion does not decrease, especially among young people. The aim of our study is to analyze, in the Guadeloupian context, the characteristics of underage people who ask for an abortion.

Methods: This retrospective study, analyses sociodemographic and medical characteristics of 129 teenagers, who had an abortion in 2010 in our abortion center. For 67 of them results of interviews with the psychologist were also reported.

Results: Preferentially from large single parent families, these underage people had a mean age of 15.9 years (± 1.12), 96.1% were born in France, 10.9% had had a previous pregnancy, 67.2% had an over 18 partner, 64.4% used contraception before the abortion. Main motivations for abortion were continuing studies and young age. Abortion occurs after 9 weeks of amenorrhea in 55.1% and 43.3% of underage people reported psychological problems linked to the abortion.

Conclusion: From this profile, our study suggests some reflection which could help the fight against unwanted pregnancies in this particular population of underage people.

Keywords: Abortion; Avortement; Guadeloupe; IVG; Mineur; Prevention; Prévention; Teenager; Underage people; adolescent.