“For Some Reason, She Just Wasn’t Able to Have an Abortion”: Social Attitudes, Reproductive Autonomy, and the Taboo of Regret

Abstract Liberal abortion laws are crucial to the freedom of reproductive decision-making. However, even in countries like Iceland, which have high levels of gender equality and liberal abortion policies, women often feel constrained by socio-political rhetoric and traditional attitudes about motherhood. This paper examines the association between reproductive choice and potential regret in motherhood. Through in-depth interviews with 35 individuals in Iceland who can bear children, we investigate the tension between the decision not to have an abortion and feelings of regret about motherhood. Using thematic analysis, we explore three main themes relating to abortion attitudes: legitimacy and morality, the weight of responsibility, and the social and personal constraints to reproductive autonomy. The participants’ personal narratives reveal how socio-political discourses and attitudes surrounding abortion complicate the process of reproductive decision-making. The results suggest that the complexity arises when women struggle with the decision to end a pregnancy, feeling they have no real choice without a legitimate justification for having an abortion. These experiences can serve to minimize the negative discourse and social stigmas that are commonly associated with abortion in the public discourse. The findings can assist clinical, medical, and social welfare professionals by fostering a deeper understanding of the importance of reproductive autonomy and support in reproductive decision-making processes.