There are several barriers to accessing abortion. Such barriers exist even in settings where abortion is legal. This study was done with a purpose to determine current barriers faced by women seeking an abortion, factors that facilitate access to care, and what future improvements women would like made to abortion care in Scotland.
A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was distributed to the women requesting abortion care. Women were required to select the top three options from predefined lists of barriers to seeking an abortion, facilitators of care, and future service improvements.
165 questionnaires were distributed out of which only 154 were completed by women presenting for abortion. The most commonly ranked barrier was labeled as the number one barrier to seeking an abortion. It was ‘being scared about what the abortion process involved’. The facilitator of care was information provided to women via the abortion clinic website. The number one response for potential improvement to abortion services was the option to get an early medical abortion from a general practitioner.
This study suggests that a lack of knowledge and information surrounding the abortion process and the ease with which women can receive abortion care are areas of concern.
Reference: https://srh.bmj.com/content/45/3/207
