Women's hidden transcripts about abortion in Brazil

Area of Science:

• Medical Anthropology
• Sociology of Health
• Reproductive Health Studies

Background:

• Folk medical conditions like "delayed" (atrasada) and "suspended" (suspendida) menstruation are prevalent among poor women in Northeast Brazil.
• These conditions are managed through culturally prescribed methods, including self-administered herbal remedies, patent drugs, and pharmaceuticals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the ethnomedical understanding and practices surrounding "delayed" and "suspended" menstruation in Northeast Brazil.
• To analyze these practices as a form of "hidden reproductive transcript" used by marginalized women to express dissent.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research methods, likely including ethnographic observation and interviews, to understand women's perceptions and practices.
• Analysis of cultural beliefs, euphemisms, and folklore related to conception and gestation influencing self-treatment.

Main Results:

• "Delayed" and "suspended" menstruation are ethnomedical concepts used by women to navigate reproductive health concerns.
• Self-administered menstrual regulation methods are employed, facilitated by cognitive ambiguity surrounding pregnancy.
• These practices serve as a form of collective dissent against restrictive abortion policies and inadequate family planning services.

Conclusions:

• The concept of "hidden reproductive transcript" offers a framework for understanding how marginalized women express resistance.
• Women's explanations of menstrual regulation may be a veiled response to hegemonic anti-abortion ideologies.
• Future reproductive health interventions, particularly safer abortion alternatives, must consider these "hidden transcripts".