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Women's existential experiences within Swedish abortion care
Maria L Stålhandske1, Maria Ekstrand, Tanja Tydén
1Department of Theology, Uppsala Religion and Society Research Centre, Uppsala, SE, Sweden. maria.liljas@crs.uu.se
Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology
|January 15, 2011
Summary
Swedish women undergoing clinical abortion care often experience unmet needs for existential support. While care is described as neutral and rational, focusing on physical aspects, some women require emotional and moral reflection, highlighting a gap in current services.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Psychological Support
- Sociology of Health
Background:
- Clinical abortion care primarily addresses physical needs.
- Existential and emotional support during abortion is often overlooked.
- Swedish women's experiences reveal varied needs for support beyond the physical.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore Swedish women's experiences with clinical abortion care.
- To investigate the need for existential support during abortion.
- To understand how care provision aligns with women's emotional and moral reflections.
Main Methods:
- Individual in-depth interviews conducted with 24 women.
- Participants had prior experience with unwanted pregnancy and abortion.
- Latent content analysis was used to analyze interview data (2006-2009).
Main Results:
- Swedish abortion care is perceived as rational and neutral, prioritizing physical over existential concerns.
- Abortion procedures can trigger profound existential reflections on life, meaning, and morality for some women.
- Needs for existential support varied, with some women seeking reflection and emotional reconciliation, while others did not.
Conclusions:
- Women's needs for existential support in abortion care are diverse and can lead to disappointment if unmet.
- Current abortion care may not adequately address the psychological and existential dimensions of the experience.
- Enhanced resources and education are crucial for healthcare personnel to effectively support patients' physical, psychological, and existential needs.
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