Women's Perspectives on Medical Abortion in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru: A Qualitative Study

Lafaurie, María Mercedes; Grossman, Daniel; Troncoso, Erika; Billings, Deborah L.; Chávez, Susana

doi:10.1016/s0968-8080(05)26199-2

Cited by 60 publications

(100 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…6 The development of medical technology has made it possible for women to terminate a pregnancy safely, both surgically and medically. In legally restricted contexts, the expansion of access to and use of medical abortion has increased considerably, [7][8][9][10] due to the availability of misoprostol over the counter or on the black market. In these settings, different strategies, such as information and referral hotlines, internet purchase, and pre-and post-abortion counselling are increasingly being used -mainly by civil society organizations and women's groups -to expand women's access to safe medical abortion.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Women’s experiences with the use of medical abortion in a legally restricted context: the case of Argentina

Ramos¹,

Romero

Aizenberg

2014

Reproductive Health Matters

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This article presents the findings of a qualitative study exploring the experiences of women living in Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, Argentina, with the use of misoprostol for inducing an abortion. We asked women about the range of decisions they had to make, their emotions, the physical experience, strategies they needed to use, including seeking health care advice and in dealing with a clandestine medical abortion, and their overall evaluation of the experience. An in-depth interview schedule was used. The women had either used misoprostol and sought counselling or care at a public hospital (n=24) or had used misoprostol based on the advice of a local hotline, information from the internet or from other women (n=21). Four stages in the women's experiences were identified: how the decision to terminate the pregnancy was taken, how the medication was obtained, how the tablets were used, and reflections on the outcome whether or not they sought medical advice. Safety and privacy were key in deciding to use medical abortion. Access to the medication was the main obstacle, requiring a prescription or a friendly drugstore. Correct information about the number of pills to use and dosage intervals was the least easy to obtain and caused concerns. The possibility of choosing a time of privacy and having the company of a close one was highlighted as a unique advantage of medical abortion. Efforts to improve abortion law, policy and service provision in Argentina in order to ensure the best possible conditions for use of medical abortion by women should be redoubled.

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confidence: 99%

Women’s experiences with the use of medical abortion in a legally restricted context: the case of Argentina

Ramos¹,

Romero

Aizenberg

2014

Reproductive Health Matters

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“…However, their reasons may also include expectation of a better quality of care in the private system, absence of bureaucratic hurdles and conscientious objectors, lack of awareness of the new law and privacy concerns. 5,15,21 Studies of clandestine services pre-legalization generally focus on issues related to access and women's perspectives. 5,13,[19][20][21] More recently, much attention has been paid to evaluate Mexico City's public facilities, where efforts have been successfully focused on improving quality of care, methods used and providers' attitudes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of private abortion services in Mexico City after legalization

Schiavon¹,

Collado²,

Troncoso³

et al. 2010

Reproductive Health Matters

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“…[8][9][10] It also increases affordability and privacy. 11,12 Most importantly, it offers the opportunity to decentralize provision of services away from traditional hospital and clinic settings. 13 Increasing the utilization of medical abortion requires knowledge and motivation.…”

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confidence: 99%

The role of auxiliary nurse-midwives and community health volunteers in expanding access to medical abortion in rural Nepal

Puri¹,

Tamang²,

Shrestha³

et al. 2014

Reproductive Health Matters

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Medical abortion was introduced in Nepal in 2009, but rural women's access to medical abortion services remained limited. We conducted a district-level operations research study to assess the effectiveness of training 13 auxiliary nurse-midwives as medical abortion providers, and 120 female community health volunteers as communicators and referral agents for expanding access to medical abortion for rural women. Interviews with service providers and women who received medical abortion were undertaken and service statistics were analysed. Compared to a neighbouring district with no intervention, there was a significant increase in the intervention area in community health volunteers' knowledge of the legal conditions for abortion, the advantages and disadvantages of medical abortion, safe places for an abortion, medical abortion drugs, correct gestational age for home use of medical abortion, and carrying out a urine pregnancy test. In a one-year period in 2011-12, the community health volunteers did pregnancy tests for 584 women and referred 114 women to the auxiliary nurse-midwives for abortion; 307 women in the intervention area received medical abortion services from auxiliary nurse-midwives. There were no complications that required referral to a higher-level facility except for one incomplete abortion. Almost all women who opted for medical abortion were happy with the services provided. The study demonstrated that auxiliary nurse-midwives can independently and confidently provide medical abortion safely and effectively at the sub-health post level, and community health volunteers are effective change agents in informing women about medical abortion.

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Women's Perspectives on Medical Abortion in Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru: A Qualitative Study

Cited by 60 publications

References 18 publications

Women’s experiences with the use of medical abortion in a legally restricted context: the case of Argentina

Women’s experiences with the use of medical abortion in a legally restricted context: the case of Argentina

Characteristics of private abortion services in Mexico City after legalization

The role of auxiliary nurse-midwives and community health volunteers in expanding access to medical abortion in rural Nepal

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