THE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN WHO UNDERGO TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY IN MPUMALANGA PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25159/2520-5293/207Abstract
The Choice of Termination of Pregnancy Act, 92 of 1996 (South Africa 1996) is aimed at improving the lives of all women, stipulating that every woman has the right to make choices about her own body, including being pregnant. This act was welcomed by many health professionals as it was seen as a way to increase access to safe abortion services and thus prevent morbidity and mortality associated with unsafe and illegal ‘back street’ abortions. The purpose of the study was to explore and describe the experiences of women who undergo termination of pregnancy (TOP) at TOP services in the Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. A qualitative, descriptive, explorative and contextual research design was utilised. Participants were included in the sample through convenience sampling. Data was collected from nine individuals using semi-structured interviews. Tesch’s method of data analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were applied throughout the research and ethical considerations in the conduct of research adhered to. The findings revealed that health care consumers in Mpumalanga Province experienced emotional, physical and psychological discomfort in the TOP services received. Recommendations include community education for the support of the TOP programme, better integration of the TOP programme into other medical and social services and timely counselling, control and pain management for women who undergo TOP.
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Accepted 2015-05-21
Published 2015-07-27
