Background: People in the United States (US) face numerous challenges when accessing abortion, including an increasingly restricted legal environment and economic costs. Previous research has demonstrated that people with low income have more abortions than people with higher income. Our study aims were two-fold: first, we examined costs of obtaining abortion care in terms of ...Read more >

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has been used in pain relief since 1965, when Metzger and Walls proposed using electrical stimulation as analgesia based on the “gate control” theory of pain relief. According to the theory, neuromodulation may activate large myelinated afferent nerve fibers in the dorsal horn to inhibit transmission in primary afferent nociceptive ...Read more >

We conducted a prospective cohort study exploring a broadened use of ulipristal acetate as a pharmacologic cervical preparation agent with adjunct misoprostol prior to second trimester surgical abortion procedures between 16 – 18 6/7 weeks. We enrolled 13 participants. All procedures were completed in the expected time frame with no complications. We found that ulipristal ...Read more >

Abortion stigma is pervasive in the United States. This study focuses on individual-level abortion stigma, defined as the way in which stigma is internalized and experienced as guilt and shame. While abortion itself does not cause mental illness, abortion stigma, which induces secrecy, thought suppression, and isolation, may worsen psychological responses to the procedure. Few ...Read more >

Crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) provide pregnancy-related services with the intent of dissuading people from seeking abortions. Half of states support CPCs through funding or mandatory referrals. Our study has two aims: (1) to spatially map the distribution and concentration of CPCs and abortion facilities (AFs) in states that do and do not support CPCs, and ...Read more >

The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HSS) 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 46 requires extra protections for vulnerable populations in clinical research. Subpart B of this document categorizes pregnant women as a vulnerable population. This restrictive categorization has been criticized based on the lack of evidence that pregnant women, including women seeking ...Read more >

We do not know when oxytocin receptor (OXTR) expression increases during gestation above non-pregnant levels or when the myometrium becomes responsive to oxytocin. Oxytocin is the most effective pharmacologic prophylaxis of hemorrhage in term deliveries, but utility in second trimester abortion is unknown. Prior research has indicated there is minimal oxytocin receptor expression in early ...Read more >

Background: Crisis pregnancy centers (CPC) are non-medical counseling facilities that aim to prevent abortion by intercepting women who are actively looking for a health center that provides abortion, or looking for information about an abortion. This may increase barriers for women in finding an abortion clinic to meet their needs in an efficient manner. Websites ...Read more >

Dilation and evacuation at 16 to 20 weeks’ gestation is generally performed as a two-day procedure in which cervical dilation is achieved with overnight preparation. When cervical preparation and dilation and evacuation can be performed on the same day, women are spared a multi-day procedure and access to abortion is increased. The Society of Family ...Read more >

No clear guideline currently exists for best practices involving cervical preparation for women planning dilation and evacuation at 20 weeks and greater. I plan to perform a pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. On day 1, 66 women will receive mifepristone 200 mg orally or placebo 18-24 hours prior to osmotic dilator (Dilapan-S 4-mm) placement (day ...Read more >