Imaginary about abortion in a group of marginalized pregnant adolescents in Mexico

Abstract

The objective of the study was to document the imaginary about abortion in a group of pregnant adolescents in a marginalized situation in Mexico, in order to identify whether the continuation and termination of their pregnancies derives from a decision or the absence of options to terminate the pregnancy. This is a qualitative-biographical study, carried out with individual interviews with twelve pregnant adolescents, which were audio-recorded, transcribed and later analyzed using Krueger’s methodology. Abortion figures in their imaginary are more a desire than a strategy. Although most of them report having wished to lose the product of conception, none of them attempted to terminate the pregnancy. Guilt, fear and the romanticization of motherhood were the main reasons why they decided to continue the pregnancy. It is concluded that the challenges to accessing pregnancy termination in adolescents are complex because of the context of the existence of many cultural stereotypes built around women’s bodies and social role, which contributes to their acceptance of the exercise of motherhood without the physical, psychological and social capacities to do it.