Fall Research Expo 2023

Realities of Abortion Reform in Argentina

In December 2020, the Argentinian Congress legalized abortion in all cases through the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, exemplifying the power of a massive feminist grassroots mobilization that ended in legal reforms for abortion on demand. However, high rates of adolescent pregnancy and fertility, as well as maternity repetition, lack of access to sexual education, and reproductive healthcare remain high drivers of inequality and socioeconomic differences in Argentina, showcasing the difficulty of implementing this abortion policy. This project explores the existing gap between progressive abortion policies and lived realities of patients and providers. More particularly, I aim to understand how local communities in Pilar (Buenos Aires, Argentina) understand and experience abortion-related practices, as seen in community-wide workshops, local maternity hospitals, and day-to-day life experiences. As an ethnographic interview-based study of certain interest groups, it explores the experiences of teenage and adult mothers who have recently accessed abortion services or maternal healthcare, medical practitioners (physicians, nurses, psychologists, etc.), and activists to understand this social movement. Through this approach, I aim to draw connections between history, sociology, and anthropology, revealing broader attitudes and understandings of motherhood, women's rights, and abortion-related practices and views in Argentina. This project serves as my senior thesis in Health and Societies, supporting my interest in maternal and child health, global health, and Latin America.

PRESENTED BY
Gelfman International Summer Fund
Mazzatenta Award
Advised By
Adam Mohr
Senior Lecturer, History and Sociology of Science
PRESENTED BY
Gelfman International Summer Fund
Mazzatenta Award
Advised By
Adam Mohr
Senior Lecturer, History and Sociology of Science

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