LIVED EXPERIENCES OF ABORTION STIGMA: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

Reproductive healthcare remains an incredibly difficult system to navigate, riddled with burdens and obstacles. Reproductive healthcare is also plagued with elements of stigma, especially regarding abortion care, that influence how people navigate their reproductive healthcare needs and decisions. Limited qualitative research has investigated the impact of reproductive health and abortion stigma on reproductive health-related decision-making. This research sought out to gain insights on the influence of stigma across reproductive health and medical decision-making from the lived experiences of women with roots in the Southern region of the United States. Fifteen in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with self-identified women, recruited through purposive and snowball sampling, who have previously had an abortion or have experience working in abortion healthcare delivery. Inductive analysis of the interview data revealed reproductive healthcare access barriers and resources, various sources of reproductive health stigma, stigma’s influence on health-related decision-making, and the multi-level implications of stigma in reproductive healthcare. Five themes emerged from the lived experiences of the women in this study and provided insights into how women navigate reproductive health access, abortion, associated stigma, decision-making, while also enduring the world around them. This research unveiled ingrained stigma associated with the entire field of reproductive healthcare and the role stigma plays in peoples’ complex lives, but investigation into more diverse populations is recommended. The research also uncovered the need to invest more deeply in collaborative, public health comprehensive sexuality education rooted empowerment, storytelling, and narrative creation, while addressing the multi-leveled nature of the world we live, play, and work in. The study also highlights that despite the burdens, shame, judgment, stigma, cultural influences, religious ideologies, and political attacks against reproductive health and abortion access, people can still envision a world where people can make autonomous decisions related to their reproductive health - but more work must be done.