Insegurança no aborto: um estudo sobre a prática do aborto inseguro na adolescência, na cidade de Maputo

Abstract

In this work we conducted a study about the practice of the insecure abortion in the adolescence in Maputo City. The objective was of understanding what supports the practice of the insecure abortion by adolescents. While developing this study we proceed from the assumption that the practice of the insecure abortion in the adolescence is a product of fear of isolation from the socially constructed friendships. So, the adolescents who are subjected to this practice fear exclusion or stigma from the others adolescents who do not practice such an act and reprisals or questioning from people in charge of their education. The study was based on the theoretical triangulation between the theoretical perspective of labelling (diversion and marginal) defended by Becker (2008) and the theory of the symbolic interaction and stigma defended by Goffman (1988), which made possible for us to understand how stigma influences in practice of the insecure abortion. We carried out a study with a qualitative approach aiming to catch the understanding that the adolescents had on practicing the insecure abortion. The target group was the adolescents who practiced the insecure abortion and we applied the semi-structured interview to a total of ten adolescents. The analysis and discussion of data allowed us to point out that, the social stigma supports the practice of the insecure abortion and causes the adolescents to opt for it. The adolescent who is subdued to the insecure abortion is not an isolated being from her context, specially from the social network of relations as the group of couples, because these agents have a relevant influence in the actions taken by the adolescent in her everyday life. The gathered data validated this hypothesis.