Affiliation:
1. Filozofski fakultet, Univerzitet u Beogradu
Abstract
Even though the experience of abortion is a relatively common experience
among women in Serbia, personal accounts in relation to abortion are rarely
examined. International findings show that having social support is crucial
in coping with this experience. The main objective of this research was to
examine the ways in which women rely on social support and the ways in which
this shapes their experiences. After six semi-structured interviews with
women who terminated their first pregnancy, their personal accounts were
analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The role of
significant others remains important during the whole experience but with
qualitative shifts throughout the phases. In the earliest phases, other
people could be perceived as a double threat - they could cause the feeling
of shame or be an obstacle in the pregnancy termination. During and after
the medical procedure, the need for social support becomes stronger and more
complex, although in some cases it remains unmet. Most prominent social
figures are mothers and romantic partners. Participants with responsive and
supportive social surroundings coped more easily than others whose support
is nonexistent or overly normalizing. Research contribution of this study is
the analysis of personal accounts of women who had abortion. Practical
contribution is raisin awareness of the importance of legitimization of
complex and ambiguous feelings during abortion, both by significant others
and health psychologists.
Publisher
National Library of Serbia