The support group impact on enhancing the self-worth of women who terminated a pregnancy in adolescence

Abstract

Background: Terminating a pregnancy can be a traumatic life event, resulting in negative emotions that can diminish women’s self-worth. Support from different sources, including health support groups, could be beneficial in restoring a woman’s self-worth. This article aimed to present findings on the impact of a support group intervention on the self-worth of women who terminated a pregnancy in adolescence.

Methods: A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive approach, using in-depth, semi-structured interviews, was used to collect data. Thematic analysis guided the data analysis.

Results: Five themes emerged from the data: reasons for joining the support group; enhanced emotional and physical wellbeing; self-forgiveness; spiritual growth and participants’ voices.

Conclusion: Participants described why they needed to join the support group. It became clear that the intercession was effective in the short term as it enhanced participants’ self-worth by encouraging them to accept themselves thereby altering their self-condemning emotions, replacing them with self-love.

Contribution: The study recommends that a support group should be considered as a backup for women who terminated a pregnancy and have lost their self-worth.