Abstract
Introduction: As abortion is a safe service that authorized health care workers can provide, they must have adequate knowledge, attitude, and training to prevent complications and potential litigation.
Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among 103 intern doctors of Lumbini Medical College, Nepal, after obtaining ethical approval. Only 91 interns responded to the survey online, which consisted of 32 item questionnaires regarding demographics, knowledge, and attitudes of interns regarding safe abortion services. Data were collected online from January to March 2026 and analyzed using PSPP 2.1.1.
Results: Mean age of participants was 25.05 ± 1.25 years, of which 52 (57.1%) were female. All participants were unmarried, and 88(96.7%) were Hindu. Intern doctors had good knowledge regarding abortion law, methods of safe abortion, and its complications. Only 38 (41.8%) had formal training, and 29 (31.9%) felt prepared; a significant gap was observed between knowledge and training. There was a positive attitude among interns regarding abortion; they were supportive of women's rights and its legalization. While acknowledging stigma and unsafe abortion as persistent public health issues, the majority were willing to offer services if given the necessary training.
Conclusions: Supporting women’s autonomy, adequate knowledge and positive attitudes towards safe abortion services were observed among intern doctors. However, a huge gap existed between knowledge and training, which undermined the preparedness to provide safe and efficient service.
Supplementary Files
References
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Copyright (c) 2026 Anjana Kafle, Deepak Shrestha, Swasti Bhandari, Shanta Chauhan, Parshal Bhandari