Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T14:53:12.132Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Patterns of discussion and decision-making amongst abortion patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

John R. Ashton
John R. Ashton
Affiliation:
Department of Community Medicine, Southampton University and Wessex Regional Health Authority
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Discussion and decision-making amongst Wessex women who obtained an induced abortion at two centres are studied. The most important discussants were family doctors, boy-friends, girl-friends, husbands, mothers and pregnancy counsellors. In the majority of key discussions which occurred the patient had been able to discuss the pregnancy fully, had a sympathetic reception and met a discussant who was favourable to her having a termination. However, younger patients were less likely to have such an experience and were later in arriving at their abortion decision and were more prone to uncertainty. It is argued that alternative counselling and referral systems need to be developed for younger patients with unplanned pregnancies who may request abortion.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , July 1980 , pp. 247 - 260
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ashton, J.R., Dennis, K.J., Rowe, R.G. & Wheeller, M.J. (1980) The Wessex abortion studies. I. Interdistrict variation in provision of abortion services. Lancet, i, 82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Athanasiou, R.A., Oppel, W., Michelson, L., Unger, T. & Yager, M. (1973). Psychiatric sequelae to term birth and induced early and late abortion—a longitudinal study. Fam. Plann. Perspect. 5, 227.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brewer, C. (1977) Incidence of post-abortion psychosis—a prospective study. Br. med. J. 1, 476.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Diggory, P.C.L. (1969) Some experiences of therapeutic abortion. Lancet, i, 873.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Etzioni, A. (1968) The Active Society. Free Press, New York.Google Scholar
Farmer, C. (1973) Decision-making in therapeutic abortions. In: Experience with Abortion. A Case Study of North East Scotland. Edited by Horobin, Gordon. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Fredman, C.M., Greenspan, M.A. & Mittleman, F. (1974) The decision-making process and the outcome of therapeutic abortion. Am. J. Psychiat. 131, 1332.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greer, H.S., Lal, S., Lewis, S.C., Belsey, E.M. & Beard, R.W. (1976) Pscho-social consequences of therapeutic abortion. King's termination Study III. Br. J. Psychiat. 128, 74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greer, H.S. (1977). J. mat. Child Hlth, 2, 103.Google Scholar
Hodgson, J.E.& Portmann, K.C. (1974) Complications of 10,453 consecutive first trimester abortions: a prospective study. Am. J. Obstet. Gynec. 120, 802.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jeffcoate, T.N.A. (1970) Abortion in Morals and Medicine. BBC, London.Google Scholar
Kummer, J.H. (1963) Posr-abortion psychiatric illness—myth? Br. med. J. 4, 161.Google Scholar
Lark, B. (1975) Short-term psychiatric sequelae to therapectic termination of pregnancy. Br. J. Psychiat. 126, 173.Google Scholar
Mccance, C., Olley, P.C. & Edward, V. (1973) In: Experience with Abortion. A Case Study of North East Scotland. Edited by Horobin, Gordon. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Pare, C.M.B. & Raven, H. (1970) Follow-up of patients referred for termination of pregnancy. Lancet, i, 635.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tietze, C. & Lewit, S. (1972) Joint program for the study of abortion (JPSA). Early medical complications of legal abortion. Stud. Fam. Plann. 3, 397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Way, S. (1974) Termination of first trimester pregnacies. Lancet, ii, 1017.CrossRefGoogle Scholar