An ethnography of clandestine abortion in contexts of legal interruption of pregnancy. A case study among students of Mexico City

Abstract

This article analyzes the beliefs youth pregnancy and its relationship with the decision to interrupt an unwanted pregnancy clandestinely, despite a Legal Interruption of Pregnancy (ILE) being available. It is a study with a phenomenological approach, which explores the universes of meaning, based on ethnographic observation and 32 interviews with students and 3 teachers in Mexico City. Results show sexuality is lived in a guilt dimension affecting dignity and awareness of sexual and reproductive rights. Secularism works only as a constitutional ideal, since beliefs and prejudices play an essential role in the creation of points of view among students. Abortion is still seen as a sin but, paradoxically, it involves clandestine practices that put the sexual and reproductive health of young girls at risk, due to legal inconsistencies.