Beyond autonomy and care: Experiences of ambivalent abortion seekers:

Background:While being prepared for abortions, some women experience decisional ambivalence during their encounters with health personnel at the hospital. Women’s experiences with these encounters have rarely been examined.Objective:The objective of this study was to explore ambivalent abortion-seeking women’s experiences of their encounters with health personnel.Research design:The data were collected in individual interviews and analysed with dialogical narrative analyses.Participants and research context:A total of 13 women (aged 18–36 years), who were uncertain of whether to terminate their pregnancies during the first trimester, were interviewed before and after they made their decisions. The participants were recruited at six Norwegian outpatient clinics.Ethical considerations:Approval was granted by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics.Findings:The ambivalent pregnant women sought to make autonomous decisions while simultaneously involving their closest confidants and healt...