Decision-making, abortion narratives and identity construction towards abortion among rural–urban single migrant women in mainland China: Insights for social work practice and education

Abstract

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 single internal migrant women who induced abortion in mainland China. Results indicate that their abortion decisions were made through careful and rational consideration due to their vulnerable and marginalised position, which is maintained by China’s household registration system and migrant labour regime. Confucian, neoliberal and religious discourses shape these single women’s perceptions of abortion and affect their abortion narratives. They form different identities, which have a great impact on their utilisation of post-abortion care resources and their perception of abortion stigma. Implications for social work practice and education are subsequently discussed.