Between legal rights and lived realities: Roma Women's experiences of abortion care analyzed using the WHO conceptual framework for abortion care.

BackgroundAccess to abortion is a core component of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). In Norway and most European countries, abortion is legal on request. Yet, legal entitlement alone does not ensure equitable or person-centered care. Migrant women, including Roma women from Eastern Europe, often face structural and informational barriers when navigating abortion and related services.ObjectivesThis study explored Roma women's experiences of abortion care, counselling, and follow-up in light of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Conceptual Framework for Abortion Care.DesignA qualitative, exploratory design was used.

Methods

Seven semi-structured individual interviews and one focus group discussion were conducted with 12 Roma women temporarily residing in Oslo. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.ResultsFour interrelated themes were developed:1 Limited access to information and contraceptive counselling,2 Fragmented care and missed opportunities for continuity,3 Bodily integrity and consent, and4 Autonomy, values, and the meaning of motherhood. Participants described abortion as medically safe and respectful but constrained by linguistic barriers, reliance on informal networks for information, and a lack of post-abortion counselling or follow-up.ConclusionsThe study shows that Roma women's experiences of abortion care were shaped by limited information, lack of continuity of care, and constrained autonomy. Viewed through the WHO framework, these experiences illustrate how comprehensive abortion care remains unevenly achieved for mobile and marginalized women.