Viewing the fetus
Having the possibility to see the fetus after the abortion was an unexpected
opportunity for some women. Some women had not understood that the fetus
was fully developed and viewable and other thought that they were not allowed to
view. For these women a curiosity aroused together with uneasiness about what the fetus would look like. To see the fetus was a way for some women to get rid of
fantasies and convince themselves that the fetus was not still alive. One woman
described the memory of a bodily contact when she had put her little finger in the
hand of the fetus. To not view the fetus after the abortion was experienced as the
right decision for those women who not view the fetus.