Women’s Experiences of Induced Abortions in Rural Pakistan
Author Information
Author(s): Slamat Rubeena, Bracke Piet, Ceuterick Melissa
Primary Institution: Ghent University
Hypothesis
How do women in a rural Pakistani community navigate the stigma associated with induced abortions?
Conclusion
Women in Pakistan often stage their abortions as miscarriages to maintain their social status in a stigmatized environment.
Supporting Evidence
- Women often use home remedies and self-medication to induce abortions.
- Community members view miscarriage as a natural occurrence, which allows women to stage abortions as miscarriages.
- Women rely on a support system of family and friends to navigate the stigma associated with abortion.
Takeaway
In Pakistan, women who have abortions often pretend they had miscarriages because society looks down on abortion. They do this to avoid being judged.
Methodology
Data were collected through 38 in-depth interviews and six focus group discussions, analyzed using grounded theory.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the sensitive nature of the topic and the cultural context.
Limitations
The study may be influenced by the researcher’s positionality as a woman, which could affect the outcomes.
Participant Demographics
{"total_women":24,"christian":11,"muslim":13,"age_groups":{"21-25":3,"26-30":9,"31-40":6,"40_or_older":8},"marital_duration":{"1-5":5,"6-10":8,"10-15":3,"15_or_more":8},"education":{"no_formal_education":5,"primary":6,"middle":3,"matric":8},"husbands_occupation":{"agriculture":9,"labour":5,"factory_worker":4,"rickshaw_driver":1,"other":5},"womans_occupation":{"homemaker":20,"employment_outside_home":4},"number_of_induced_abortions":{"one":12,"two":7,"three_or_more":5}}
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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