Induced abortion among female students in higher education institutions in Ethiopia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Female students in institutions of higher education are at higher risk of abortion and its consequences. There is no nationally representative data on induced abortion among students in higher education institutions in Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of induced abortion among female students in institutions of higher education in Ethiopia. METHODS: This study used a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies conducted from January 1, 2010, to June 30, 2022, in Ethiopia. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. PubMed, Cochrane Library, Hinari, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and Global Health electronic databases were searched. The analysis was performed using STATA 14 software. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed using I(2) statistics and Egger’s test, respectively. Duval and Tweedie’s ‘trim and fill’ method was also performed to adjust the pooled estimate. Forest plots were used to present the pooled prevalence with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of meta-analysis using the random effect model. RESULTS: This systematic review and meta-analysis included a total of 10 studies and 4656 study participants. The pooled prevalence of induced abortion among female students in institutions of higher education in Ethiopia was 5.06% (95%CI: 2.16, 7.96). The rate of induced abortion was 51 per 1000 women. CONCLUSIONS: The pooled prevalence of induced abortion among female students in institutions of higher education in Ethiopia was high. Thus, concerned bodies should design and implement an effective strategy to realize friendly and non-judgmental family planning and comprehensive abortion care service to curb the problem.