Volume 35, Issue 249 (10-2025)
J Mazandaran Univ Med Sci 2025, 35(249): 84-94 |
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Sharifnejad M, khoshnam rad M, Lotfi R, Mahmoodi Z. Exploring the Perceptions of Women Without Prior Pregnancy Regarding Induced Abortion: A Conventional Content Analysis. J Mazandaran Univ Med Sci 2025; 35 (249) :84-94
URL: http://jmums.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-21930-en.html
URL: http://jmums.mazums.ac.ir/article-1-21930-en.html
Abstract: (10 Views)
Background and purpose: Induced abortion is a significant health and ethical concern in every society. Understanding the perceptions of individuals who have undergone induced abortion can aid in planning efforts to reduce its incidence. This study aimed to explore the knowledge and perceptions of women without prior pregnancy experience regarding induced abortion.
Materials and methods: This qualitative study employed a conventional content analysis approach and was conducted in eastern Tehran Province between 2024 and 2025. The participants comprised 15 women who had undergone abortion during their first pregnancy. Purposeful sampling was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at a healthcare center in eastern Tehran Province. The data were analyzed inductively using the Graneheim and Lundman methodology.
Results: Out of the initial codes, a total of 385 final codes were obtained. Three main categories emerged: “Decision-making contexts for abortion,” “Encounter process and actions taken regarding abortion,” and “Living with the multifaceted consequences of abortion.” These categories comprised three, four, and two subcategories, respectively. The category “Decision-making contexts for abortion” included subcategories such as idealism in achieving personal goals, insufficient reproductive health literacy, and the normalization of abortion within social networks. The category “Encounter process and actions taken regarding abortion” comprised subcategories such as denial and delay in accepting pregnancy, urgency in decision-making, and concealment and social isolation. The category “Living with the multifaceted consequences of abortion” encompassed subcategories such as experiencing physical complications and psychological and emotional distress.
Conclusion: This qualitative study demonstrates that choosing to have an induced abortion is a complex process involving three main dimensions: influencing factors, the decision-making process, and post-abortion experiences. Women's experiences are shaped by individual, social, and cultural factors. Developing comprehensive pre-abortion support and counseling interventions is essential to reduce psychosocial harm and enhance women's well-being.
Materials and methods: This qualitative study employed a conventional content analysis approach and was conducted in eastern Tehran Province between 2024 and 2025. The participants comprised 15 women who had undergone abortion during their first pregnancy. Purposeful sampling was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted at a healthcare center in eastern Tehran Province. The data were analyzed inductively using the Graneheim and Lundman methodology.
Results: Out of the initial codes, a total of 385 final codes were obtained. Three main categories emerged: “Decision-making contexts for abortion,” “Encounter process and actions taken regarding abortion,” and “Living with the multifaceted consequences of abortion.” These categories comprised three, four, and two subcategories, respectively. The category “Decision-making contexts for abortion” included subcategories such as idealism in achieving personal goals, insufficient reproductive health literacy, and the normalization of abortion within social networks. The category “Encounter process and actions taken regarding abortion” comprised subcategories such as denial and delay in accepting pregnancy, urgency in decision-making, and concealment and social isolation. The category “Living with the multifaceted consequences of abortion” encompassed subcategories such as experiencing physical complications and psychological and emotional distress.
Conclusion: This qualitative study demonstrates that choosing to have an induced abortion is a complex process involving three main dimensions: influencing factors, the decision-making process, and post-abortion experiences. Women's experiences are shaped by individual, social, and cultural factors. Developing comprehensive pre-abortion support and counseling interventions is essential to reduce psychosocial harm and enhance women's well-being.
Keywords: induced abortion, women’s perceptions, reproductive health, health literacy, qualitative research
Subject:
Midwifery
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