Experiences of induced abortion among a group of South African women

Abortion, more than most procedures, is embedded in a social context that has implications for psychological responses of women. This study used a qualitative research framework to explore five black women's interpretations of their experiences of illegal abortion. Individual interviews were conducted covering the experience of the abortion decision, the abortion procedure itself, the perceived psychological impact of the abortion and perceptions of coping. A thematic analysis was utilised to explore participants' accounts of their abortion experiences. Overall, the study revealed that the abortion decision is multi-dimensional. Participants' accounts of their abortion experience revealed that for most of them the abortion decision was characterised by some degree of ambivalence. Women of diverse developmental levels, with different personal roles and responsibilities and from varying socio-economic circumstances were found to use abortion to avoid unwanted child-bearing. The manner in which women responded to the procedure was found to be a joint function of their psychological state and of the social environment in which the abortion occurred.