Reasons women give for contemplating or undergoing abortion: A qualitative investigation in Victoria, Australia

Abstract

Objective: To increase understanding of women's perspectives on considering or undergoing elective abortion. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: A large public women's hospital in the state of Victoria, Australia. Sample: Sixty women who had contacted a public pregnancy advisory service in Victoria, Australia, seeking information, advice, or appointments in relation to an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy. Methods: Qualitative telephone interviews. The iterative qualitative analysis employed the five stages of a thematic framework approach. Main outcome measures: Themes in women's accounts of considering or undergoing elective abortion. Results: Women's accounts emphasized their reasons for co..