Consideration of and Reasons for Not Obtaining Abortion Among Women Entering Prenatal Care in Southern Louisiana and Baltimore, Maryland

Abstract

Most research about experiences considering and seeking abortion comes from women presenting at abortion clinics. This study examines experiences among women presenting at prenatal care. Five hundred eighty-nine women were recruited at their first prenatal visit in Southern Louisiana and Baltimore, Maryland. Participants completed self-administered iPad surveys and in-clinic structured interviews. Participants were asked if they had considered abortion for this pregnancy and, if so, reasons they did not obtain one. Twenty-eight percent of Louisiana and 34% of Maryland participants had considered abortion. Ten percent in Louisiana and 13% in Maryland had called an abortion clinic; 2% in Louisiana and 3% in Maryland had visited an abortion clinic. The most common reason for not having an abortion related to women’s own decision-making, i.e. their personal preferences. Policy-related reasons were less common; but more participants who had considered abortion in Louisiana than Maryland reported a policy-related reason (primarily lack of funding for the abortion) as a reason (22% Louisiana, 2% Maryland, p < 0.001). Recruiting in prenatal care is a feasible way to find women who considered, but did not obtain, an abortion for their current pregnancy. Women’s own preferences were the primary reason for not obtaining an abortion across settings, but more in Louisiana than Maryland faced policy-related barriers to abortion.