It is important to be mindful of the fact that some language that is commonly used in clinical practice, or when speaking about general pregnancy, can be stigmatising when speaking about abortion. For example:
- speak about “preventing unintended pregnancies” instead of “preventing abortion”. While a reduction in unintended pregnancies will likely lead to a reduction in abortions, abortions will always be necessary
- when someone is having an abortion for an unintended pregnancy, talking about the “baby” is usually not appropriate, and using “embryo” or “fetus” (depending on the duration of the pregnancy) are preferred alternatives
- gestation versus pregnancy duration: The term 'gestation' implies a focus on the fetus, while 'pregnancy duration' focuses primarily on the woman, girl or pregnant person. When speaking about abortion, saying that “someone is x weeks pregnant” instead of “the fetus is x weeks' gestation” is preferred. The choice of term here may depend on the audience; you may decide to use 'gestation' when addressing an audience of clinicians, but 'pregnancy duration' when speaking with a patient.
Other words and phrases should not be used interchangeably, for example:
- 'unwanted' versus 'unintended' or 'unplanned' pregnancy: An 'unwanted' pregnancy refers to a pregnancy not wished for by the pregnant woman. An 'unplanned' or 'unintended' pregnancy applies to those who were not trying to get pregnant. These pregnancies can be either wanted or unwanted
- 'illegal abortion' and 'unsafe' abortion: Abortions that are performed outside of the legal framework in a given country can be safe abortions, as long as they are performed following WHO safe abortion guidelines. Unsafe abortions do not adhere to WHO safe abortion guidelines.
In general, when speaking to or about a person who has had an abortion, avoid making value judgements or use of stigmatising language.
Images can be helpful to illustrate materials and the grab the attention of your audience. When choosing an image it is really important to select one carefully, to avoid your image being stigmatising about abortion. For example, often images about women and girls who have abortions will show them looking upset or in distress, while in reality, they may feel a whole range of emotions about having an abortion. Images of big pregnant bellies are also not appropriate as most abortions take place before any bump shows.
The above considerations in relation to language and images are just a snapshot of a wider range of considerations when developing your messaging. IPPF has developed a comprehensive and informative language guide. We highly recommend that you consult the guide as you develop your messages in this tutorial.
