Women's Health Commons^™

An Examination Of Oppression Via Anti-Abortion Legislation, Saphronia P. Carson

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Significant disparities in reproductive health care access and outcomes exist along race, ethnicity, and income lines. One of the starkest examples of this is the dramatic reduction in abortion access over the past 45 years that disproportionately affects minority and low-income women. While existing literature has exposed these disparities and potential reasons for them, there is less attention to the ways reduced access to reproductive health care, specifically abortion, can coerce, exploit, and systematically oppress women of color and low-income women. This research uses a reproductive justice framework to discuss the impact of anti-abortion legislation and the anti-abortion movement on …

“It Didn’T Matter What The Bill Said...”: Influences On Abortion Policy Legislative Decision-Making In Georgia, Erica Barton, Subasri Narasimhan, Dabney P. Evans

Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association

Background: In March 2019 the Georgia legislature passed HB 481 described as a “heartbeat bill”, prohibiting abortion at around six weeks gestation. Given the prevalence of anti-abortion legislation and the public health implications of abortion restrictions, we sought to understand how Georgia legislators made decisions on this early abortion ban legislation.

Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with nine legislators from the Georgia House of Representatives who participated in the 2019 legislative session. In-depth interviews were conducted in-person and over the phone. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and inductive codes identified. Codes focused primarily on views of: abortion in general; specific …

Relationship Between Abortion Rates And Ethnicity, Ronald Foon, Nur Diyanah Ayub Mansul

Introduction to Research Methods RSCH 202

This research paper will serve as the first study in analysing discrepancies in birth rates among women of different ethnic groups in Singapore. The objective of this study is to root out any inequalities and effectively promote access to better healthcare for all women in Singapore. Additionally, a quantitative study in the form of a survey is proposed in this paper to collect original data. This survey will be disseminated in abortion clinics following the principles of cluster sampling. A regression analysis will be conducted to identify the statistical significance and correlation of each independent variables including age, income level, …

Contraceptive Methods In The United States: The Question Of Abortive Mechanisms, Tara Ferenczy

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis reviews the many methods of contraception available in the United States. Although society’s understanding of women’s health has become a major topic, there is still a significant deficit of information regarding how the accessible methods affect women’s bodies, specifically reproductive tissue. The thesis analyzes numerous contraceptive options focusing specifically on the mechanisms of action to determine whether options have abortifacient properties so that readers may develop educated opinions regarding medical and ethical uses. Information involving strengths and limitations of each technique and the effects on both the female body and the reproductive material assist in understanding the process …

A Mixed-Methods Analysis Of Abortion Attitudes And Perceptions Among Women Living In Alabama And South Carolina, Anthony Peluso

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Legal induced abortion is a safe option for terminating a pregnancy for women of reproductive age in the United States (U.S.), though access has varied since the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton cases in 1973. Information is lacking on women’s attitudes toward and perceptions of abortion as well as on related constructs such as pregnancy attitudes and contraceptive use. Exploring these constructs is important in that it can provide much needed context to women’s reproductive life planning. This research aimed to explore perceptions of abortion access and safety and examine the potential associations between attitudes toward abortion access …

Strengthening The Evidence Base For Telehealth For Abortion Service Delivery, Nadi Kaonga

Journal of Maine Medical Center

Telehealth – which is the use of information and communication technology to provide clinical services to patients remotely – provides an opportunity to extend safe abortion services to women. A recent review article on telehealth for abortion service delivery found it to be acceptable, feasible and safe when compared to in-person service delivery. Despite the promising findings, the evidence base can and should be strengthened to optimize the impact of such services for women. Areas for improvement include evaluating the efficacy and effectiveness of telehealth implementations in more remote settings and with women across variable levels of technoliteracy, conducting cost-effectiveness …

Laws Restricting Access To Abortion Services And Infant Mortality Risk In The United States, Roman Pabayo, Amy Ehntholt, Daniel M. Cook, Megan Reynolds, Peter Muennig, Sze Yan Liu

Department of Public Health Scholarship and Creative Works

Objectives: Since the US Supreme Court′s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion, states have enacted laws restricting access to abortion services. Previous studies suggest that restricting access to abortion is a risk factor for adverse maternal and infant health. The objective of this investigation is to study the relationship between the type and the number of state-level restrictive abortion laws and infant mortality risk. Methods: We used data on 11,972,629 infants and mothers from the US Cohort Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Files 2008–2010. State-level abortion laws included Medicaid funding restrictions, mandatory parental involvement, mandatory counseling, mandatory waiting period, and …

Surfacing Contexts Of Violence In Novel Forms Of The Reproductive Justice Framework Through Lessons From Latin America: A Study Of Brutality, Migration And Bodily Autonomy And Progressive Solutions For Use In Public Health, Angelica M. Campos

CMC Senior Theses

In the last 5 years, Latin America has witnessed a tenacious wave of pañuelo verde and #NiUnaMenos activism. Sparked by increasing mortality rates associated with unsafe, clandestine abortions and femicide, the praxes and fundamental elements of these social movements have proven themselves useful not only in garnering international attention on issues relating to bodily autonomy, but in the synthesis of their respective sociopolitical solutions as well. In the United States, similar efforts have been spearheaded by the lauded reproductive justice framework, which has often been credited for centering the plight of women of color in both reproduction and social justice. …

From The Legal Literature: If The Fetus Is A Person—Is It Relevant? An Argument On The Rights Of Pregnant Women, Francesca Laguardia

Department of Justice Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Use Of And Access To Abortion Services Among Asian And Immigrant Populations In The United States, Sheila Desai

Dissertations and Theses

Background: Abortion is common in the United States (U.S.) and a critical component of comprehensive reproductive health care. Yet, little research has documented patterns of abortion use among Asian populations or potential barriers to abortion care among immigrants in the U.S., two rapidly growing but understudied populations. In response, this dissertation aims to examine use of and access to abortion services among individuals obtaining abortions in the U.S., focusing specifically on Asians in New York City (NYC), immigrants in the U.S., and individuals living in high immigrant concentration neighborhoods in the U.S.

Methods: Using vital statistics data from …

“I Don’T Know If I Have The Courage”: Reproductive Choices In Times Of Zika, Ana Rosa Linde Arias, Elisa Tristan-Cheever, Grace Furtado, Eduardo Siqueira

Gastón Institute Publications

Neste estudo transnacional, pretendemos fornecer informações sobre as opiniões e atitudes das mulheres em relação aos seus direitos reprodutivos durante a epidemia do Zika. Mulheres de diferentes nacionalidades e etnias foram recrutadas em vários locais do Brasil, Porto Rico e Estados Unidos. Foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas que sugerem que as decisões reprodutivas dos participantes estavam intimamente relacionadas às convicções pessoais e crenças culturais, e suas ações e pensamentos foram incorporados em suas normas socioculturais. A maioria das mulheres entrevistadas comunicou que é preciso coragem para tomar a decisão extrema, emocional e esmagadora de fazer um aborto. Os achados deste estudo …

Shifting Abortion Attitudes Using An Empathy-Based Media Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Study, Mary Ellen Hunt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

U.S. abortion restrictions diminish access and perpetuate a culture of hostility toward abortion seekers. Support for restrictions is high—potentially, because restriction knowledge is low and attitudes are complex. The current study focused on knowledge and support of restrictions and empathy for abortions seekers among Arkansans. The purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of a video intervention intended to increase awareness of Arkansas abortion restrictions and induce empathy for abortion seekers.

Using a randomized controlled trial with pre-, post-, and follow-up design, a sample of Arkansans (N = 369) were randomly assigned to one of five video conditions--either a control or …

False Advertising: A Look At Crisis Pregnancy Centers, Morgan Gale

Honors Projects

A crisis pregnancy center (CPC) is an anti-abortion organization that “counsels” pregnant individuals while pretending to be pro-choice, often giving out false or misleading medical information and discouraging sex outside of marriage. These centers are usually affiliated with evangelical Christian groups and outnumber actual abortion clinics: it is estimated by pro-life groups that over 2,500 CPCs currently operate across the United States.

This project aims to make the anti-abortion bias of CPCs more visible to BGSU students by presenting research in a format that is easy to read. The project also investigates the practices of Her Choice (The BG Pregnancy …

Taking (Birth) Control: Empowerment Through Contraceptive Education, Meghan Saas

LSU Master's Theses

TAKING (birth) CONTROL is a body of work that educates women on their options for contraceptives, and empowers them to claim their right to choose if—and when—to have a child. Utilizing graphic design and letterpress printing processes, I created a visual system consisting of carefully honed typographic, color, and graphic styles. The bulk of the materials make up an educational toolkit for use at Delta Clinic of Baton Rouge, one of only three remaining abortion providers in Louisiana. Delta Clinic was in need of comprehensive and affordable materials for their patients on the subject of contraception. The toolkit consists of …

Discutiendo Desde El Interior: La Marginación De Los Hombres Trans Dentro Del Movimiento Por El Aborto Legal En Argentina / Arguing From Within: The Marginalization Of Trans Men Within The Movement For Legal Abortion In Argentina, Olivia Nichols

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

En la actualidad, el color verde lleva con ello una asociación casi indudable al movimiento por el aborto legal en Argentina. A pesar de este alto perfil del movimiento conocido como la marea verde, una recorrida por la historia del movimiento revela una gran brecha en el diálogo en relación con la inclusión de personas que no son mujeres cis, como los hombres trans que también abortan.

Informada por entrevistas con activistas trans argentinos y la observación de un encuentro de la Campaña Nacional por el Derecho al Aborto Legal, Seguro y Gratuito, esta investigación considera la inclusión (o falta …

Using Evidence To Improve Quality Of Pharmacy-Delivered Medical Abortion, Katharine Footman, Nancy Termini Lachance

Reproductive Health

The goal of family planning and reproductive health operations research is to generate evidence that helps policies and programs maximize access to and quality of services for women and their families. Yet the crucial step of ensuring the utilization of that evidence often receives inconsistent or inadequate attention. The goal of this case study is to document an activity of Marie Stopes International (MSI) in Kenya, part of the STEP UP research program consortium, which resulted in successful evidence utilization. STEP UP research on quality of care for medical abortion, particularly on pharmacy provision of medical abortion, has provided the …

Status Of Sexual And Reproductive Health And Rights In Zambia: Contraception And Family Planning, Preventing Unsafe Abortion And Accessing Post Abortion Care, And Maternal Health, Population Council

Reproductive Health

In 1994, the International Conference on Population and Development affirmed that sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are human rights. The Government of the Republic of Zambia has fully committed to fulfilling the SRHR of all people by ratifying 11 international instruments of law. This brief is Part 1 of a three-part series entitled “Status of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Zambia,” reporting on progress, gaps, and existing challenges in SRHR. Using a human rights–based approach, the Government of Zambia and collaborators, with technical facilitation by the Population Council, conducted an assessment of the status of SRHR …

Compte Rendu De La Réunion Régionale Des Comités De Plaidoyer Pour Avortement Médicalisé, Fatou Mbow

Reproductive Health

En partenariat avec le Ministère de la Santé et de l'Action Sociale, particulièrement la Direction de la santé de la reproduction et de la survie de l’enfant et le comité national de plaidoyer pour l’accès à l’avortement médicalisé (Taskforce), le bureau du Population Council du Sénégal a organisé une réunion régionale des comités/associations de plaidoyer pour avortement médicalisé de l’Afrique de l’ouest francophone. La réunion a eu lieu le 24 octobre 2017 à Dakar, Sénégal. Elle avait pour but de discuter des avancées notées dans l’accès à l’avortement médicalisé et mettre en exergue les efforts des pays de la région …

L’Expérience De Femmes Ayant Subi Une Grossesse Non Désirée Au Sénégal : Une Étude Qualitative, Fatou Mbow, Nafissatou Diop

Reproductive Health

Au Sénégal, l’avortement n’est autorisé que lorsque la vie de la mère est menacée. Depuis 2013, le Comité de plaidoyer pour l’accès à l’avortement médicalisé au Sénégal (plus connu sous le nom de « Taskforce ») mène des activités de plaidoyer pour une révision de la loi. L’avortement est maintenant plus ouvertement discuté, mais la voix des femmes victimes de grossesse non désirée n’est pas entendue. Cette étude documente l’expérience de ces femmes pour fournir des évidences pour le plaidoyer. L’autorisation de l'avortement médicalisée contribuera à respecter les droits humains et de santé des femmes, ainsi qu’à réduire les conséquences …

Senegal: Explorer Le Processus De La Collaboration Multisectorielle Mise En Place Pour L’Étude Qualitative, Fatou Mbow, Nafissatou Diop, Awa Diop Dabo, Awa Tounkara Cissé, Seynabou Ba Diakhaté

Reproductive Health

En 2015, STEP UP a mené une étude qualitative sur l’expérience de femmes ayant subi une grossesse non désirée suite à un viol ou inceste dans la région de Dakar, Sénégal, en partenariat avec le Comité de plaidoyer pour l’accès à l’avortement médicalisé, plus connu sous le nom de «Taskforce». L’objectif général de l’étude était de développer une meilleure compréhension de la vie de ces femmes et d’apporter leur voix au débat sur la légalisation de l’avortement médicalisé. Cette étude de cas examine les caractéristiques de la collaboration, comment elle a été efficace, les leçons apprises, et les recommandations formulées …

Drink Me And Abort Your Baby: The Herbal Abortion Tea, Maya Lewis

Capstones

For most of history every abortion was a herbal abortion. Herbal abortion is exactly what it sounds like––a series of herbs that, if taken at the right time, in the right form and dosage, can induce a miscarriage. It's risky, under researched and rarely supported. But with women's clinic dwindling all over the country and a president elect who wants to repeal Roe v. Wade, herbal abortion might soon make a major come back–– for better or worse.

Link to capstone project: https://medium.com/@maya.lewis/drink-me-and-abort-your-baby-the-herbal-abortion-tea-46aadd15f659

An Evaluation Of The Effect Of Abortion Laws On The Timing Of Abortion, Elizabeth Fuentes

Dissertations and Theses

A record number of restrictive abortion laws, particularly those known as Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP), have been passed in US states in the past half-decade. TRAP laws differ from abortion laws that target patients, such as parental involvement and waiting period policies, because they are often expensive, difficult, or impossible for providers to comply with, resulting in the reduction or elimination of abortion services. This can result in farther travel to and higher costs of abortion services for patients; however, there are no studies assessing whether one consequence of reduced geographic accessibility of abortion services is delays in …

The Health Exception, Monica E. Eppinger

All Faculty Scholarship

The abortion doctrine laid out in Roe v. Wade permits a procedure necessary to preserve the life or the health of the pregnant woman, setting out what has come to be called the “life exception” and the “health exception.” This Article investigates the background and antecedents of the health exception, identifying three periods of formation and change up to the drafting of the Model Penal Code in 1959. It argues that theories of health lie at the heart of legal doctrine, shaping common-law treatment of abortion and persisting in nineteenth- and twentieth-century statutes. This account reveals origins of a health …

Pharmacy Workers In Kenya Need Training And Support On Medical Abortion Information And Referrals To Prevent Unsafe Service Provision, Jesse Njunguru, A. Finnie, Katharine Footman, Wilson Liambila, Kate Reiss

Reproductive Health

Despite the centrality of pharmacists in the provision of abortion services in Kenya, little is known about their medical abortion (MA) knowledge, attitudes, or practices. This policy brief reports on a study that set out to bridge this gap in the evidence. The report concludes that comprehensive training for pharmacy workers could improve the quality of MA provision and referrals, and help pharmacy workers identify opportunities to simultaneously provide clients with information on contraception and STI prevention. Such efforts would be in line with current Kenyan government policies to reduce the public health burden caused by the prevalence of unsafe …

L’Expérience De Femmes Ayant Subi Une Grossesse Non Désirée Au Sénégal : Une Étude Qualitative [Compte Rendu De La Rencontre De Partage Des Résultats], Fatou Mbow, Nafissatou Diop, Babacar Mane

Reproductive Health

Dans le cadre du projet Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancy (STEP UP), et sur financement de DFID, une étude qualitative a été menée dans la région de Dakar au Sénégal par le Population Council en partenariat avec la Taskforce sur l’expérience des femmes ayant subi une grossesse non désirée suite à un viol ou un inceste pour apporter la voix de ces femmes au débat sur la légalisation de l’avortement médicalisée. Une rencontre plus large, dont ce rapport est la synthèse, a été organisée en janvier 2016 par la Direction de la Santé de la Reproduction et de …

Building A National Pro-Choice Alliance In Mexico: Evaluation Of The Alliance Media Campaign To Promote Access To Safe, Free, And Legal Abortion Services, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Population Council and Alliance partners designed a legal abortion media campaign aimed at informing women in Mexico City of their legal right to a safe, free elective abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The impetus for the campaign was the apparent lack of knowledge regarding the legality of abortion in Mexico City among low-income, marginalized women of reproductive age combined with the inadequate number of Mexico City Ministry of Health facilities equipped to provide services to women living in an expansive metropolitan area such as Mexico City. This brief presents results of an evaluation that show that …

Abortion In Brazil - Todo Mundo Faz: An Analysis Of Social Movements And Social Support For The Liberalization Of Brazil’S Abortion Law In Salvador, Brazil, Maria Camila Caicedo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This study analyzed the current actions of feminist movements, black women’s movements, and other advocacy groups that have a stake in the current debate for the legalization of abortion in Brazil. The purpose of the study was to assess the current political avenues for approaching the legislative body available to marginalized groups who are disproportionately affected by the criminalization of abortion. It was built upon a comprehensive review of existing literature, which found very little information on the actions of feminist movements and black women’s movements in Northeast Brazil. The study was conducted over the course of four weeks in …

Factors Associated With Induced Abortion Among Female Entertainment Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study In Cambodia, Siyan Yi, Sovannary Tuot, Pheak Chhoun, Khuondyla Pal, Khimuy Tith, Carinne M. Brody

Objective: To explore risk factors associated with induced abortion among sexually active female entertainment workers (FEWs) in Cambodia.

Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Participants: This study included 556 FEWs aged 18–47 years randomly selected from entertainment establishments in the two cities in 2014 using a two-stage cluster sampling method. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire.

Primary outcome measure: History of induced abortion during the time working as a FEW.

Results: Of the total sample, 45.6% reported currently using a contraceptive method with condom (42.4%) being the …

Respecting Intent And Dispelling Stereotypes By Reducing Unintended Pregnancy, Dawn E. Johnsen

Articles by Maurer Faculty

No abstract provided.

Knowledge And Provision Practices Of Misoprostol Among Pharmacies In Senegal, Ramatoulaye Ndao, Nafissatou Diop, Kate Reiss, Eva Burke

Reproductive Health

Marie Stopes International and the Population Council conducted a study on the knowledge and practice of misoprostol provision among pharmacy workers in Senegal, as part of the Strengthening Evidence for Programming on Unintended Pregnancy (STEP UP) research program. This study helped guide strategies for expanding provision and proper delivery in pharmacies of misoprostol, a drug which is highly effective and acceptable for treating postpartum hemorrhage and post-abortion complications. Amplified communication about the product can contribute to an increase in demand from providers in all sectors. However, as demand for the product increases, the supply chain must be strengthened to respond …