From contraceptive dilemmas to repeat abortions: The production of reproductive vulnerability among young migrant women in mainland China

The high prevalence of repeat abortions among young migrant women in mainland China reveals a critical gap in sexual health equity. Drawing on life course theory (LCT), this qualitative study aims to understand how reproductive vulnerability is produced and accumulated over the life course among this population. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 migrant women (aged 18–24) who had experienced multiple induced abortions. Thematic analysis revealed that repeat abortion is a structural process shaped by five cumulative disadvantages: (1) triple-embedded exclusion across educational, economic, and institutional domains; (2) a timing mismatch in which sexual initiation outpaced reproductive knowledge acquisition; (3) a maladaptive peer reinforcement loop that normalizes contraceptive misinformation and drives risk desensitization; (4) a gender power imbalance rooted in male dominance in contraceptive practice; and (5) a negative turning point effect stemming from the failure of the initial abortion to catalyze effective intervention. The findings challenge the prevailing individualistic blame narratives and support an integrated, dynamic LCT perspective. This study recommends that medical social workers deliver multi-level, life-course-informed interventions and advocate for structural reforms to address the reproductive vulnerability of young migrant women.