Ambivalence among women applying for abortion

Background. Our purpose was to characterize women expressing ambivalence when applying for abortion.Material and methods. Data were collected, by self-administered questionnaires, from 339 women. Thirty percent were in doubt about the decision when the abortion was due. Socio-economic factors more often influenced the choice among ambivalent women than among those not in any doubt.Results. Ambivalent women more often felt exposed to social pressure and some felt that the abortion was not their own choice. Their decision-making was marked by doubt during the entire process.Conclusions. There is a need for professional support during this decision-making process. Many of the ambivalent women stated that their decision might not have been the same under different personal circumstances.