Photo Credit: Liudmila Chernetska

The following is a summary of “Prior knowledge and experience with self-managed abortion among people seeking abortion care in US Midwestern states,” published in the June 2024 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology by Odum et al.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study examining the methods people utilized or were aware of for self-managed abortion (SMA) before seeking professional abortion care.

They collected survey data on socio-demographics, gestational stage, and SMA awareness and methods from patients at 17 abortion facilities across Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Illinois (April 2020 and April 2022). Descriptive statistics assessed the proportion of participants who attempted SMA and those who knew others who had attempted SMA.

The results showed 71 respondents (4.2%) had attempted SMA, while 416 (25.5%) had heard of others attempting SMA. The most common self-management methods were taking herbs and/or vitamins (31% each) or hitting oneself/being hit (22.5%). Approximately 30% of those who attempted SMA used more than 1 method.

Investigators concluded that individuals who attempt SMA were dedicated to self-managing individual abortion, highlighting the need for further research into the sociodemographic factors associated with SMA attempts or awareness.

Source: contraceptionjournal.org/article/S0010-7824(24)00196-3/fulltext