Social representations of abortion for gynecologists and obstetricians in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The scope of this study was to identify and analyze the social representations of abortion for gynecologists and obstetricians. The methodology used was the Semi-Structured Interview with 20 gynecologists and obstetricians (10 males and 10 females) from 34 to 67 years of age, who worked in hospitals in the Metropolitan Region of Belo Horizonte in the State of Minas Gerais.The results showed that abortion is recurrent in the daily routine of the interviewees, mobilizingthe elaboration of social representations that help them to make it a familiar topic. Typologically, the representations identified were polemic social representations. Most participants objectified the abortion as Decision/Right, anchoring it in basic values, such as liberty, which oriented the practice of abortion and support its legalization. In parallel, another group of participants configured abortion as Murder, anchoring it in basic values considered unquestionable, such as life, which implied in the defense of the fetus, and conscientious objection to the practice of abortion.