Training abortion doulas in Northern Ireland: lessons from a COVID-19 context

Campbell, Emma; Connor, Naomi; Heaney, Suzie; Bloomer, Fiona

doi:10.1136/bmjsrh-2021-201098

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Acompañante groups' focus on abortion care as holistic challenges medicalized frameworks of abortion care that posit an abortion procedure as isolated and detached from the rest of the person's health and life. An important exception to note here is the emotional and social care work performed by abortion doulas in contexts such as North America and Northern Ireland (Chor et al 2016;Campbell et al 2021). Finally, by making abortion care work a collective endeavor, acompañantes challenge assumptions that abortions that take place in clandestinity are necessarily traumatic and isolating.…”

Section: Developing Abortion Care Through Acompañante Care Workmentioning

confidence: 92%

Beyond the State: Abortion Care Activism in Peru

Duffy¹,

Freeman²,

Castañeda³

2023

Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society

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Section: Developing Abortion Care Through Acompañante Care Workmentioning

confidence: 92%

Beyond the State: Abortion Care Activism in Peru

Duffy¹,

Freeman²,

Castañeda³

2023

Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society

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“…Community-based doulas are those that are not affiliated with a hospital or clinic, but rather focus directly on community members, often their own racial/ ethnic group or in a particular geographic area (17). In global settings where abortion has been historically restricted including Argentina and Northern Ireland, community-based abortion doulas have served pivotal roles in accompanying people when seeking and accessing care (18,19). Further research is needed to understand how community-based doulas can further integrate full spectrum care (including abortion support) in restrictive abortion settings-especially for socially marginalized community members.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“I can be pro-abortion and pro-birth”: Opportunities and challenges for full spectrum care among doulas in Georgia

Lindsey

Narasimhan²,

Sayyad³

et al. 2023

Front. Glob. Womens Health

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BackgroundThe work of full spectrum doulas (i.e., non-medically trained care workers offering support before, during, and after pregnancy including abortion)—is increasingly important as abortion access decreases across the U.S. Few studies have examined the work of community-based doulas in restrictive abortion settings or how they might further incorporate full spectrum care. As part of the community-engaged mixed methods Georgia Doula Study, this analysis examines the scope of work of community-based doulas regarding full spectrum and abortion services, doula opinions on full spectrum and abortion work, and potential barriers and facilitators for full spectrum doula care in metro-Atlanta, Georgia.MethodsFrom October 2020 to February 2022, the team recruited 20 community-based doulas with 8 who provide full spectrum services including abortion. Surveys covered demographics, doula scope of work, family planning attitudes, and abortion stigma. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive and bivariate statistics. In-depth interviews further explored those topics. They were de-identified and thematically analyzed using a semi-deductive approach.ResultsThe findings are organized around five themes: (1) doulas of all kinds center reproductive autonomy; (2) abortion doulas play important roles in reproductive autonomy; (3) doulas have mixed feelings about contraceptive counseling; (4) abortion doulas provide diverse services carrying numerous benefits in a stigmatized environment; and (5) abortion doulas experience challenges including stigma but they offer solutions. All but two doulas in this study were interested in learning how to incorporate contraception and abortion services in their current scope of work, and most participants supported the role of full spectrum doulas.ConclusionThis analysis highlights the experiences of abortion and full spectrum doulas, reactions of the larger doula community to those services, and facilitators and barriers to full spectrum doula care in a restrictive abortion setting. There are urgent needs and opportunities for full spectrum doulas to offer life-protecting services to pregnant people across the U.S. and globally. Coordination efforts for U.S. abortion care post-Roe v. Wade must include community-based doulas, who are largely open to aiding abortion clients through education, connection to care, and emotional support.

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