Photo Credit: Liudmila Chernetska
The following is a summary of “Defying the odds: Facilitating integration of abortion care into clinical practice in the United States,” published in the October 2024 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology by Bayat et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study describing the experiences of physicians who successfully incorporated abortion care into the practices in the US and identifying facilitators and barriers to abortion provision.
They conducted semi-structured interviews with obstetrician-gynecologists and family medicine physicians (n=50) nationwide, focusing on factors that aided or hindered abortion care. The interviews explored lessons learned and suggestions for future practice. Content analysis was used for data analysis.
The results showed that 14 obstetrician-gynecologists and 11 family medicine physicians (n=25) were interviewed about abortion care; 4 main categories of facilitators and barriers emerged: personal, community, training, and workplace factors. Key facilitators were supportive leadership and mentorship, while significant barriers included antagonistic colleagues and leadership. Lessons emphasized the importance of assessing leadership support, finding institutional allies, reducing workplace conflict, and being observed as a team player. Recommended resources to enhance abortion provision included clinical support, mentorship, funding, negotiation coaching, and access to clinical policies.
Investigators concluded that institutional leadership support was essential for physicians to offer abortion care in their practices to increase abortion access; investments in supportive leadership were crucial for both academic and community settings.
Source: contraceptionjournal.org/article/S0010-7824(24)00190-2/abstract
