This paper is an attempt to examine knowledge about legislation of abortion and
abortion experiences among female youth in Nepal. This paper uses data from the
Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2011). The analysis is confined to
female youth aged 15-24 (n=5050). Both bivariate and multivariate analyses have
been performed to describe the knowledge about law and experience of abortion. The
bivariate analysis (chi-square test) was applied to examine the association between
dependent variables and female youth’s demographic, socioeconomic, and cultural
characteristics. Besides bivariate analysis, the net effect of each independent
variable on the dependent variable after controlling for the effect of other predictors
has also been measured through multivariate analysis (logistic regression). Only
two-fifth (41%) female youth was aware of abortion legislation in the country.
however, knowledge on at least one condition of abortion law is even lower (21%).
Less than two percent (1.5%) female youth reported that they ever had an abortion.
The multivariate analysis found that the knowledge and experience of abortion
varied with different settings. Youth aged 20-24 [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.3)],
who have higher education (primary aOR=1.89, secondary aOR=4.6), who were
from rich households (aOR=1.5), who had high autonomy (aOR=1.29) were more
likely to be aware compared to their counterparts about legislation of abortion. In
the other hand, female from Dalit (aOR=and Janajati aOR=0.55) caste, who were
married (aOR=0.80), who were from Muslim (aOR=0.54) and who resided in Hill
(aOR=0.63) and Terai/plain area (aOR=0.74) were less likely to be aware about the
law. Similarly, female youth who have knowledge on abortion law (aOR=2.8), who
have primary (aOR=5.2) and secondary education (aOR=3.8), married (aOR=15.7),
who had higher number of children ever born [1-2 children aOR=1.9 and 3 or more
children aOR=3.4), who were from rich households (aOR=2.62), who have high
autonomy (aOR=3.0), who had experienced sexual violence (aOR=1.91) were more
likely to undergone abortion compared to their counterparts. Knowledge about
legislation of abortion is very low among female youth. Awareness program should
target these youth as they are more likely to be sexually active. There is a need of
comprehensive education about abortion to these youth which can help eventually
reduce unsafe abortion that take a large toll on women’s life.