Conception, pregnancy, decision-making, and post abortion response among women who have undergone single, repeat and multiple voluntary first trimester abortions.
Item
-
Title
-
Conception, pregnancy, decision-making, and post abortion response among women who have undergone single, repeat and multiple voluntary first trimester abortions.
-
Identifier
-
AAI9605653
-
identifier
-
9605653
-
Creator
-
Rivera, Maria J.
-
Contributor
-
Adviser: Vera Paster
-
Date
-
1995
-
Language
-
English
-
Publisher
-
City University of New York.
-
Subject
-
Psychology, Clinical | Women's Studies | Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology
-
Abstract
-
This dissertation investigated first trimester voluntary abortions of women who underwent multiple procedures. The abortion experience was described as three interdependent contexts. The conception-pregnancy context was the period subsequent to the perceived conception and prior to the decision making process. Variables included were pregnancy ambivalence, intendedness and wantedness of the pregnancy, pregnancy attribution, and maternal motivation. The decision making context included social and personal beliefs regarding abortion, and partner support and influence on the decision. The post abortion response context, included negative and positive feelings, grief, and post abortion syndrome.;Recruited from urban undergraduate colleges, subjects were divided into three groups; 39 women who had one abortion (single aborters), 11 who underwent two abortions (repeaters), and 21 women who experienced 3 or more abortions (multiple aborters). Subjects were given a questionnaire to do privately, and returned it to a designated location at their campus. In addition, 8 multiple aborters were interviewed.;There was minimal statistical support to distinguish the multiple aborter group. In the conception-pregnancy context, multiple aborters were more likely to attribute their pregnancies to chance, when compared to a combined single and repeater group. Single and multiple aborters experienced greater ambivalence towards the pregnancy than the repeaters given their higher net maternal motivation scores. In the decision making context, statistical significance was approached by repeaters who had the lowest scores on "pro-life" subscales. This suggests that single and multiple aborters experienced greater ambivalence towards the abortion procedure, given their higher "pro-life" attitudes. The three groups did not differ in post abortion responses. Consecutive multiple aborters (at least three consecutive procedures) attributed their pregnancies to their own behavior, and were more likely to incorporate partner's influence in their decisions.;This study determined multiple abortion is not a separate phenomenon in terms of the abortion experience, and decision making strategies. Despite minimal findings, women's health care professionals frequently bestow negative judgements toward multiple aborters often leading to pathological diagnosis. It is suggested that laypersons' and professionals are subject to social influence consisting of the vacillating social attitude towards abortion. It is recommended that professionals monitor their biases which impede upon treatment.
-
Type
-
dissertation
-
Source
-
PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
-
degree
-
Ph.D.
