Socio-cultural context and women’s experiences of abortion: Israeli women and Russian immigrants compared

This study explored the experience and emotional aftermath of induced abortion in a crosscultural setting, comparing native Israeli women and recent immigrants from the former Soviet Union. The dataset includes 48 interviews (23 and 25, respectively) with women recruited via post-abortion counselling services and by snowballing. The study explored the relationship between macro-level factors such as legislation, practice and public attitudes towards abortion and micro-level life contexts including reasons for the termination, relationship with the partner, material resources and social support. The role of immigration in women’s perceptions of abortion was also examined. Findings corroborate earlier psychosocial studies of abortion, showing that dramatic emotional reactions are uncommon and, where present, are shaped by both social context and concrete life circumstances. The abortion experiences of recently resettled immigrants were generally more stressful than those of local women. The study concludes that even in countries with relatively liberal abortion laws and practices, postabortion distress can be induced or reinforced by social gatekeepers (service providers, the media, etc.) disapproving of women’s reproductive choices.