Results
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MISCARRIAGE, EARLY PREGNANCY
Two reasons for the concealment of pregnancies in the first trimester or ahead of a pregnancy’s obvious visibility to others, were given by FGD participants. These were ‘pregnancy outside of marriage’ and ‘evil spirits and miscarriage’. Concealment on both grounds was motivated through specific worries and fears. In the case of a pregnancy outside of marriage, this was worry over social stigma and shame. Evil spirits are understood as a cause of miscarriage in early pregnancy, and as such, women may choose to conceal or not disclose their pregnancy as a protection mechanism.