A critical review of sanctioned knowledge production concerning abortion in Africa: Implications for feminist health psychology

Abstract

Taking a feminist health psychology approach, we conducted a systematic review of published research on abortion featured in PsycINFO over a 7-year period. We analysed the 39 articles included in the review in terms of countries in which the research was conducted, types of research, issues covered, the way the research was framed and main findings. Despite 97 per cent of abortions performed in Africa being classifiable as unsafe, there has been no engagement in knowledge production about abortion in Africa from psychologists, outside of South Africa. Given this, we outline the implications of the current knowledge base for feminism, psychology and feminist health psychology in Africa.

The case for collation to inform debate and transform practice in decolonising Psychology

“…Colleagues and I conducted a systematic review of research on abortion in Africa over a 7-year period (Macleod, Chiweshe, & Mavuso, 2016). Using PsycINFO as a database, we located 39 articles.…”

Fertility regulation as identity maintenance: Understanding the social aspects of birth control

“…positions made available to women in society via particular practices, cultural discourses and social relationships) and the social identities that develop through women’s experiences and negotiation of such subject positions is vital both in its own right to improve understanding of fertility practices and also to help focus family planning policies and programmes. At present, while many surveys quantify contraceptive and abortion practices, a broader social-psychological understanding of contraception in practice is rare; this is also the case for abortion ( Macleod et al, 2016 ).…”