Fréquence des interruptions volontaires de grossesses chez les élèves du Lycée Molende de Buta/Province du Bas-Uélé, au cours de l’Année Scolaire 2023-2024

Intentional termination of pregnancy and clandestine abortion pose a serious public health problem throughout the world, and the Democratic Republic of Congo is not spared from this scourge. Our preliminary study seeks to highlight the various causes of abortion of pregnancy among students at the Lycée Molende de Buta in Bas-Uélé Province, during the 2023-2024 school year, with 75 cases recorded. The results show that the frequency of abortion in this sample is 14.3%. The majority of respondents were aged between 21 and 23 (34.6%), and 28% were in the 6th year of secondary school. In terms of gestational age, 32% of cases were at 11-12 weeks' amenorrhea. All respondents presented clinical signs such as vaginal bleeding, lumbopelvic pain and fever, followed by expulsion of the egg. Hemorrhagic complications were observed in 82.6% of cases. 72% of participants had a single abortion, and 42.6% used modern abortion drugs. Fear of parental reaction was cited as the main reason for abortion by 53% of respondents. Finally, 90.6% of participants received medical and psychological care.