Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42420991›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2026

Unintended pregnancy and induced abortion in Sierra Leone: abortion incidence complications method-based estimates.

Boniface Ayanbekongshie Ushie, Margaret Giorgio, Kenneth Juma, Mohamed Koblo Kamara, Ramatou Ouedraogo, Francis L Moses, Akinrinola Bankole

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Article in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Boniface Ayanbekongshie UshieBeshi King Development Services, Abuja, Nigeria. boniface.ushie@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6579-6327
Margaret GiorgioGuttmacher Institute, New York, USA.
Kenneth JumaAfrica Population Health and Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
Mohamed Koblo KamaraStatistics Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Ramatou OuedraogoAfrica Population Health and Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
Francis L MosesMinistry of Health and Sanitation, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Akinrinola BankoleGuttmacher Institute, New York, USA.

Funding

Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete 12103
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUnsafe abortions remain a significant contributor to the high maternal morbidity and mortality in Sierra Leone. The country has among the highest maternal mortalities worldwide. However, little is known about the incidence of induced abortion and unintended pregnancy in the country.

methodsWe used the Abortion Incidence Complications Method to create nationally representative estimates of the incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy in Sierra Leone in 2021. First, we estimated the total number of post-abortion care cases resulting from induced abortions using a nationally representative sample of health facilities (n = 291). Next, we estimated the proportion of all induced abortions in the country that would result in women receiving post-abortion care using data from a survey conducted among a purposive sample of experts knowledgeable about abortion in Sierra Leone. The national estimate of induced abortion is the product of the estimated number of post-abortion care cases and the multiplier generated from the proportion of all induced abortions that would result in health facility care. The estimate of induced abortion and the national estimate of unintended births based on Demographic Health Survey data were used to estimate the incidence of unintended pregnancy in 2021.

resultsIn 2021, 37,262 patients were treated for post-abortion complications in Sierra Leone, of which we estimated 27,467 were due to induced abortions. Approximately 91,494 induced abortions (uncertainty interval (UI): 41,489-141,500) occurred in Sierra Leone in the same year, translating to a national induced abortion rate of 44.2 (UI: 20.1-68.4) per 1,000 women aged 15-49 and with significant regional variations. Of all pregnancies in 2021, 38% were unintended. This corresponds to an unintended pregnancy rate of 70 per 1,000; we estimate that 63% of unintended pregnancies ended in induced abortions.

conclusionsThis is the first study to report on the national incidence estimates of induced abortion and unintended pregnancy in Sierra Leone. Findings demonstrate that both are prevalent in the country. Findings offer insights that could be used to strengthen efforts towards reducing unsafe abortions, improving access to quality comprehensive abortion care and family planning services, and informing advocacy for abortion legal reforms in Sierra Leone.

Indexed as

Abortion, InducedPregnancy, UnplannedAdolescentAdultFemaleHumansIncidencePregnancySierra LeoneYoung AdultAbortion incidence complication methodologyInduced abortionSierra LeoneUnintended pregnancy

Identifiers

PMID42420991

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.