In 2011, approximately 1.1 million abortions were performed in the US, and 333,964 of these abortions were performed at Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) affiliates. PPFA instated new restrictions on intravenous sedation eligibility during surgical abortion. As of March 2015, affiliates can no longer offer sedation to women with a BMI >45 and women ...Read more >

Objectives: This study explored the meaning of abortion work to providers, how providers experience and manage stigmatization of their work, and how these experiences and stigma management strategies differ across providers by clinic type, clinic, work role and individuals. Methods: Data were collected through qualitative observation of clinic settings, in-depth interviews with providers, and quantitative ...Read more >

Sexual and reproductive health (SRH), is an educational content domain at the intersection of health, illness, culture, ethics, and politics, and crucially important for patient care. It is widely recognized as affecting all aspects of health and well-being, and knowledge about it among providers, makes it a growing, but unmet, priority for the healthcare workforce. ...Read more >

Vietnam has one of the highest rates of abortion in the world. It also has a recent history of son preference, demonstrating a skewed sex ratio at birth (SRB) in the past decade. The SRB is especially skewed in northern Vietnam, and varies by socio-demographic characteristics and parity. The country has a total fertility rate ...Read more >

Inducing fetal demise before abortion in the later second trimester is a common practice despite its unproven utility. Digoxin is the most commonly used feticidal agent among family planning subspecialists, with intrafetal administration more effective at achieving fetal demise than the intra-amniotic route. Reasons for inducing fetal demise before abortion in the later second trimester ...Read more >

Unintended pregnancy remains a public health problem in the US, though most could be prevented by effective contraceptive use. There are a host of reasons for contraceptive failure including user error and decreased access. For women with underlying medical conditions, the contraceptive options are further narrowed due to the comorbidity associated with traditional estrogen-progestin hormone ...Read more >

Objectives: Our goal was to understand patients’ experiences of facility policies that limit practice based on moral or religious teachings. How aware are patients of the doctrine and its influence on care? How much information is furnished to patients about religious policies (if at all) and how do patients feel that the policies affect patient ...Read more >

Background: Despite the high efficacy of intrauterine contraception (IUC), pregnancies can occur with IUC in situ. Studies examining pregnancy outcomes with IUC in situ were done on patients with copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD) with limited studies that examine pregnancy outcomes with levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS). Outcomes with LNG-IUS may be different from that of Cu-IUD ...Read more >

Objectives: In 2011, North Carolina passed the Women’s Right to Know Act (WRTK) that mandated a 24-hour waiting period and state-scripted counseling prior to abortion. We performed a study to investigate and describe the experience of abortion providers following implementation of this law. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 31 individuals involved with abortion provision ...Read more >

Background: The involvement of a lay support person, known as a doula, during obstetric care is associated with positive outcomes including decreased analgesic need and obstetric interventions. The full spectrum doula is a model in which doulas support women throughout their reproductive experiences, including birth, miscarriage, adoption, and abortion. Objectives: Primary objective is to assess ...Read more >