‘The lesser evil’–Abortion and reproductive stigma among Ethiopian university students

Abstract

Since 2005, access to safe and legal abortion services in Ethiopia has significantly improved. Nevertheless, estimates indicate that safety of abortions remains an important public health challenge. Stigma is one of the key barriers young women with unwanted pregnancies encounter. This study explores how different forms of reproductive stigma shape Ethiopian students’ perspectives on and experiences with unwanted pregnancies. Data was collected between September 2016 and June 2018. Drawing on 43 in-depth interviews with students (30) and key stakeholders (13) at Addis Ababa University, supplemented by two focus group discussions, the article thematically analyses how students navigate knowledge, rights, and stigma in situations of unwanted pregnancies. It finds that abortion stigma and stigma towards premarital pregnancies shape how young adults respond to such situations. Building on conceptualizations of stigma as a social process tied to power and differentiation, the article argues that stigma is more than an individual experience, but rather a force that shapes access and constrains reproductive choices. The findings highlight the need to understand how abortion stigma intersects with other forms of stigma and social inequality, and to address the broader social conditions that make both abortion and premarital pregnancies morally and socially contentious.