Journal of School of Public Health and

Anthropology is concerned with description and interpretation of various aspects of social life it is an attempt to understand and assess the origin of different social phenomena. In this research we have studied the abortion beliefs and behaviors of women in reproductive age, and we also tried to explain how these beliefs and behaviors were changing with time. Considering the in-depth nature of anthropological research, Azarbayejan, an old and traditional neighborhood in downtown Tehran was chosen as the setting for this work. Besides the local women who came from different backgrounds we interviewed other groups of people for their views on reproductive health. These included health care professionals, community health liaison workers, psychologists and marriage guidance counselors, social workers, midwives and physicians. The individual in-depth interviews were completed by a simultaneous literature and document review. It became apparent that women’s beliefs on abortion form a wide spectrum, from outright condemnation to complete acceptance. Also in spite of the illicit and socially forbidden nature of abortion, there are widely different types of behavior among women. A host of medications, from herbal/traditional to modern, are being used for inducing abortion. Histories taken from patients have revealed many of these behaviors and their varieties. Existence of a certain type of behavior is an indication of its function in community. To conclude, in spite of these beliefs, abortion not only exists, but is often practiced in an unhealthy manner. So a more pragmatic approach (promoting quality of life) may be indicated.