Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy: Moral Concerns and Emotional Experiences among Black South African Adolescents

Communities interpret abortion permission as encouragement of promiscuity and perceive abortion as a sinful, murderous, and abominable act.

“Communities interpret abortion permission as encouragement of promiscuity and perceive abortion as a sinful, murderous, and abominable act [46, 56, 57].”

The lower likelihood of married women knowing the new abortion law is likely linked to their status, as procreation is of high importance to a married African woman.

“This is likely to be linked to their status, as procreation is of high importance to a married African woman [46].”

An African belief holds that fertility and procreation ensure the continuation of the family from one generation to another.

“This attitude may be due to an African belief according to which fertility and procreation are a way to ensure the continuation of the family from one generation to another.”

Lack of knowledge and less perceived benefits of abortion permission at a health facility is common in African countries.

“The lack of knowledge and less perceived benefits of abortion permission at a health facility, is common in African countries, and it is related to misinterpretation of the abortion law and the negative perceptions communities hold about the abortion.”

The lower likelihood of Muslims perceiving benefits may be because Islam discourages abortion and considers it a sin, since a human embryo is an embryonic human being.

“Muslim were less likely to perceive benefits of the abortion law, maybe because, like all other religions, this religion discourages abortion and considers this practice as sin, since a human embryo is an embryonic human being [46].”

This lack of knowledge and less perceived benefits is related to misinterpretation of the abortion law and negative perceptions communities hold about abortion.

“The lack of knowledge and less perceived benefits of abortion permission at a health facility, is common in African countries, and it is related to misinterpretation of the abortion law and the negative perceptions communities hold about the abortion.”

Abortion can be seen as a threat to the continuation of the family and as rejection of motherhood, seen as the essence of womanhood.

“Thus, abortion can be seen as a threat to the continuation of the family [46], as well as the rejection of motherhood, seen as the essence of womanhood [46].”