Experiences of mothers who legally terminate a pregnancy due to fetal congenital defects.

Abstract

The legal termination of a pregnancy due to congenital defects is a complex and emotionally intense that significantly impacts the mother's personal life and causes considerable psychological distress for both parents. Despite its clinical and ethical implications, there is limited qualitative research exploring the lived experiences of women undergo this process. This study aimed to explore and understand the experiences of mothers who have legally terminated a pregnancy due to fetal congenital defects. A qualitative study was conducted based on Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics. Eleven semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted between February and March 2023 in Spain. Participants were selected through purposive sampling. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed inductively to identify emerging themes. Three main themes emerged from the data: 1) The painful diagnosis of a congenital fetal defect and the moral dilemma of terminating a wanted pregnancy; 2) The internal conflict and distressing experience of undergoing legal pregnancy termination; 3) The dual emotional wound resulting from pregnancy loss. Participants described the diagnosis as an emotional shock and reported feeling unsupported both during and after the process, highlighting critical gaps in psychosocial care. The findings reveal that legal termination of pregnancy due to fetal congenital defects has a profound emotional impact on mothers, who experience not only perinatal grief but also social invisibility and insufficient psychological support. These results emphasize the need to implement comprehensive, empathetic, and multidisciplinary care protocols to support women throughout the decision-making and grieving process.